Written by Judy Douglass, Author, Blogger, and Podcaster
Grandparenting is certainly one of my favorite seasons of life. I love being with my nine grandkids, and I love that they are my children’s responsibility. I come away from time with them energized and exhausted. I get to exercise creativity and exhibit calming peace. They renew my youth and reveal how old I am.
Grandchildren are one of my most important life investments. I’ve spent a lifetime investing in my own life—discovering and developing into the person God created me to be, doing what he made me for.
Similarly, I have spent decades seeking to do the same for my children. Now I can come alongside my children to contribute to their efforts to do the same for their kiddos.
Grandparenting is a stewardship responsibility and opportunity. Here are seven ways I invest in my very loved grandkids:
1. Cuddle
A true life highlight, for me, is holding a sleeping baby. All other life stops. If someone says, “Can I take her for you?” or Do you want to eat lunch?” or “Can you take this call?”—the answer is always the same. “No thanks. I’m good.”
A couple of weeks ago, I was caring for my (probably) last grandbaby. He became fretful, missing his mama. I picked him up, cuddled him, sang to him, talked softly to him, and prayed for him. He fell asleep!! And for an hour and a half, I contentedly rested on the sofa, cuddling that sleeping baby.
2. Comfort
Comforting grandkids will probably last for the rest of my life. A baby needs comforting when his tummy hurts. A toddler cries when Mommy and Daddy leave. A pre-schooler’s skinned knee requires a kiss. Learning to read can be formidable for some.
Middle school is a social nightmare, and the academic structure is daunting. In high school, friends can be unkind, and hearts are often broken. And then the future can be frightening. Grandparents can give comfort.
3. Tell Stories
Usually, the second question (after, “What did you bring us?”) my young grandsons would ask when I arrived was, “Will you tell us a story?”
I love telling stories. Sometimes I make them up. Often, I let them join in, and a simple story suddenly includes dark woods, wolves, and themselves as superheroes. Their favorites, though, were stories from mom or dad’s childhood.
Stories serve so many purposes:
- Engaging with the child
- Expanding imagination
- Encouraging creativity
- Building on family history
- Conveying values
4. Listen
When they are young, we listen to their chatter, even if we can’t understand a word, and respond with smiles and affirming words. As their verbal skills improve, so must our listening skills. Ask questions, hear their answers, engage in evolving conversation.
Then, when they are older, they might open up, share hearts and hurts, desires and dreams. You might be the one they come to talk to about faith, the future, and family, all because you listened.
5. Love
Family love can be assumed. Some of us speak it often, and children are taught to speak love to their grandparents. But how do we show love to others before them—their parents, their grandparents? And do we live out love to them. Do they sense it is more than words? The apostle John urges us, “Let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” (1 John 3:18)
Will we give them priority over our online activities or our TV watching? Will we attend their sports events in the sweltering summer months or the icy winter days? Will we give them attention or gifts they really desire? Will we intentionally seek to guide them into truth and wisdom?
6. Live Grace
The writer of Hebrews invites us: “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)
We are called into relationship with God via grace, and we are urged to pass that grace on to everyone we can (including our grandkids). This will happen most effectively as they observe grace in our lives:
- Speaking truth with kindness
- Keeping peace in stressful times
- Forgiving those who hurt us
- Sacrificing our comfort for others
- And, of course, sharing the love of God with them.
7. Pray
Oh, how we desire to see our grandkids grow into strong, healthy, wise, loving men and women, with good character, seeking God first, becoming the persons God has created them to be, doing the good works God has prepared for them. We want to be good stewards of the lives entrusted to us.
We certainly move in that direction as we do all the actions listed here. But that is no guarantee of the rich legacy we yearn for. We must go to that throne of grace and beseech the one who can weave our efforts with our children’s efforts and the responses of beloved grandchildren into the likeness of Christ, living in love and grace, serving others, loving God.
We must pray for them. Often. Specifically. About everything.
Bonus: Two Ways to Invest in Your Grandkids on Special Occasions
1. Give Enriching Gifts
My husband told our kids they shouldn’t have any more children (he was joking) because we couldn’t afford my “grandmother gifting” habit. I love giving to my grandkids, and I believe it is a vital part of investing in their lives.
I do give some toys and trinkets, especially things they really want. But these are my most important, often intangible, gifts:
- Books: for every birthday and every Christmas
- Imagination: art supplies, building sets, pretend props, hand puppets, and so much more
- Action: active playthings, sports equipment, and anything to keep them moving
- Experiences: outings, the beach, mountains, and theme parks—Gatorland was a favorite
- Time: things to do with me, quiet moments, face time, and the time they don’t know about when I pray
2. Create Adventures
My children all love adventure, and it seems their children do too. We have a family vacation every other summer, and it always includes some adventures. Even with babies and toddlers along, the majority have been able, over the years, to raft wild white water, ride horses on steep mountain trails, zip across Colorado canyons, hike mountains, and this past summer, zipline across the Royal Gorge.
Other adventures have occurred at the beach, sitting on a gator, holding a python, getting soaked at Animal Kingdom River Rapids, or skimming across a swamp on an airboat. They’ve also explored museums, aquariums, and caves, learned to fish, and much more.
What about you? How do you invest in the future of your grandkids?
5 thoughts on “7 Everyday Ways to Invest in Your Grandkids”
Such wonderful advice, Judy! Thank you!! We’re blessed with three grandchildren currently and a fourth on the way. I watch all of them weekly and try my best to be intentional in everything you wrote about. Our role in their lives in so vital! To God be the glory!! Blessings to you and your family
For 19 years In their younger days I organized a Cousins Camp for our Five. We met at a lake house on a weekend and grandkids stayed on for 4 more days, to be picked up on Thursday that week. With one of their parents and a favorite aunt & uncle, We swam in the lake, hiked through the forest and along country roads. Learned to identify poison ivy and build a campfire. We had morning devotions and shared the chores using a caper chart. They began to call their cousins some of their best friends. When they got old enough we needed to swim with a life guard, cousins camp became a 3-4 day sleepover with golf lessons, cook-off competitions, an afternoon at an ice skating rink or an archery range. In the teen years they got so busy we found 2 nights of the whole summer they were all available. We met, we ate out, saw a movie and explored the town. On one of the last Cousin Camps we rounded them up and took them to the college campus where the first was enrolled in the fall. Explored the campus. She Shared about the applications, SAT exams, etc. Golden memories, every one. I wanted to know them and for them to know us. Now I still make a date in July/Aug to have a lunch or breakfast with each one for back-to-school shopping which began just before Kindergarten. The oldest is now married and teaching high school English. The youngest a sophomore in college. We treasure the moments with them. I’ve written a book: “Cousin Camp Manual: Wisdom Workouts to Strengthen Family Ties” it worked for us.
What wonderful memories! Thank you for sharing.
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Thank you, Judy for such precious ideas and encouragement for our time with our grandchildren. I appreciate how you go before us and encourage us with your wisdom and ideas.