What a Difference Grandparents Make

Sunday night ended our Kevin Leman Sessions.  I missed Session 5 on attitude because Sophie was sick and then I missed Session 6 which was Birth order because we were at Johnny's funeral.  But thankfully I had already heard that one and blogged on it....I tried to find it to link it for you, but I must have kept over looking it.

Anyway, Session 7 was What a Difference Grandparents Make. 

* Don't over ride the parents.  Do not let your grandkids ever hear you say you don't agree with what their parents say.  If you don't agree, just get your child to the side and talk to them about it.  If you say something in front of your grandchildren, you are teaching them they can get their parents to buckle from time to time. 

* Make a difference in your grandkids lives. 
    ~ Put the grand  in grandparent.

* Guidelines for Grandparents:
  - Make sure you never bad mouth your grandkids parent(s) in front of them.
  - Don't hog all the spotlight.  You are not the only grandparent.
  - Let your grandchildren teach you.  Say stuff like.... "tell me more about this.... or that...."
  - Kids love their time with grandparents.  They always run up to grandparents in excitement.
  - Tell stories.... they want the same story over and over. 
     ~ Especially stories about their parents.
  - Grandparents get to be a kid again.
       EX: Grandpa.... I want a pony in my room....  instead of telling them no and how silly that would be, go along with it.... respond with things like.... how cool it would be to wake up to a pony licking your face every morning.  Or the mess all hay would make...
  - Look for your teachable moments.  You've already been a parent, so now is your time to let your children parent and you "play".

*Each grandchild is different so treat them differently.

* He hit on this video thing and it really struck my attention... and I thought this would be great for parents too.  He said do a video for your grandchildren.  Tell them about you growing up... Did you ever doubt God?  Why?  Make the video teachable and memorable. 

It's how you live your life that makes a difference.

Being a step grandparent:
(1) Learn all you can about blended families.
    * You won't like everyone in the blended family.  But you have to respect them.
(2) Even if you don't like being around the step grandkids, you have to respect them. 

10 Commandments of Grandparents:
(1) Treat each one differently.
(2) Show interest in them.
(3) Live an example worthy life.
(4) There's another set of grandparents.  Be mindful.
(5) Offer to take grandkids overnight.
(6) Repeat something special for grandkids.  Whether a song, story, game, etc... just something special that is "y'alls" thing.
(7) (He was talking so much faster than my hand could write, so I missed #7 and tried to research it, but couldn't find it either).
(8) Always expect the best
(9) Pray for them
(10) Create a DVD of your life.

MAKE YOUR GRANDKIDS PROUD YOU'RE THEIR GRANDPARENT.