Want to be the best grandparent you can be? Learn how nurturing your joy, health, and authenticity helps you become truly unforgettable.

The older I get, the more important it is to really live an authentic life. Why? Because many of us will have decades left in life and I see way too many women look at these years as a time of going downhill.

I propose that you see this time as the amazing time it is and do everything you can to make the most of it. This includes being the best version of you, that you can be.

This doesn’t mean finally going on a diet or exercising like a madwoman. This means really prioritizing yourself and taking care of your mental, emotional, and physical health.

Here’s a secret to have an amazing life. Be the best you.

Becoming the best grandparent doesn’t start with your grandkids, it starts with you.

Your energy. Your joy. Your emotional wellness. Your willingness to keep growing in the second half of life.

When women ask me how to be the best grandmother, they usually think I’ll give them a list of activities or ways to bond with their grandkids. Those matter, of course. But they’re not the foundation.

The foundation is you being the most alive, healthy, emotionally solid version of yourself.

• That’s what kids are drawn to.
• That’s what builds trust and memories.
• And that’s what makes this season of life richer and more vibrant than anything you imagined.

So whether you’re a brand-new grandmother, a grandmother of teens, or not a grandmother yet but want to feel more like yourself again… this post is for you.

Because being the best grandparent really comes down to being the best you and that is something you can start today.

In this post, you’ll learn:

• Why being the best grandparent starts with becoming the best you
• How your emotional health shapes your family relationships
• Simple ways to bring more energy, fun, and zest back into your life
• How to let go of resentment and create deeper connection
• Why authenticity matters more than perfection
• Practical ways to stay vibrant, curious, and engaged at any age

The more you put into your relationship with yourself; the better relationship you’ll have with your grandchildren, or anyone else for that matter.

This is your time to develop a stronger sense of sense and fun activities you love. Your role as a grandparent is only one of your important roles.

A few years ago, I wrote a post called How to Be an Awesome Grandparent. That was the first of many grand-parenting posts that I wrote over the next year or two. One of my points was that the best way to be awesome was to be yourself.

This has continually resulted in having not just a fun relationships but meaningful ones.

Why Your Grandkids Need You, Not “Perfect” You

I’ll be honest, my grandchildren adore me, are fascinated by me, and want to spend every minute I am at their house with me.

We share the small things, hugs, fun activities, and time with extended family.

I don’t say that to brag; I share it because by writing about how to be an awesome or unforgettable grandparent, I really worked on these relationships over the years.

Having this type of relationship with my grandchildren gave me the courage to try being myself with everyone else. This didn’t happen overnight but it has happened.

Some relationships became better. Some relationships fell away naturally.

The most important thing I believe I’ve done, is I worked on being the best ME.

In the years since I became a grandmother, I have worked hard on my self-development and creating a deep and trusting relationship with myself. And I truly believe that my relationship with my grandchildren will have a lasting impact on their lives.

I can’t even believe how I have grown as a woman. And as that woman, my grandkids love to be around me and spend time hanging out with me.

By being the best you that you can be, you will be a person that grandchildren of all ages love to be around!

In this post, I am going to share ways that I did the personal work to become the best version of me, so that I could be the best grandparent and also love this time of my life.

Let’s face it. For too long we have been told that after 60, we’re old and our best days are behind us.

This is not true. I can tell you without hesitation, his really can be the best time of your life.

Release What’s Weighing on Your Heart (So You Can Feel Like Yourself Again)

Many women don’t realize how much unresolved feelings, tucked-away pain, and old heartaches can quietly shape the way they show up with their families.

This isn’t about being wrong or being “too emotional.”
It’s about being human.
And being human means we sometimes carry things longer than we know.

What unresolved feelings can look like (without realizing it)

You might notice it in subtle ways. See if you are feeling any of the following feelings:

• Irritated about how your adult children parent
• Left out when the other grandparents get more time
• Uncomfortable or angry about ex-spouses or new partners
• Hurt about something your child said or didn’t say
• Tense with an in-law and trying to keep the peace
• Disappointed in how often (or not often) you’re included
• Confused like the family has shifted and you’re not sure where you fit

None of this makes you a difficult person. It makes you a woman with a full heart who loves her people deeply. My friends, I write about this because I have felt everyone of these things at times over my grand parenting years.

Having these feelings is not the problem; that’s natural. Holding onto them and letting them run your actions IS the problem.

But here’s the truth that changed everything for me and for my clients:

What you carry emotionally shows up in your relationships, even when you think you’re hiding it.

When you’re carrying hurt, whether it’s big or small, your nervous system feels it. It shows up in your energy, and the people you love can sense it, even if no one is talking about it. We think we’re hiding it, but it usually leaks out in ways we don’t realize.

And it’s exhausting.

Why releasing these feelings matters

The good news? You don’t have to fix everything or force forgiveness to start feeling better. You simply need space to understand your own heart and clear what’s been weighing on you.

That’s why this work matters so much.

When you process your own story: your disappointment, your fears, your frustration, your hope, you become calmer, clearer, steadier. And that emotional steadiness is magnetic. Kids and grandkids feel safe with you. Adult children relax around you. Family relationships soften.

This isn’t about becoming a doormat or pretending nothing hurts. It’s about becoming solid inside yourself so your relationships don’t get run by old pain.

This is possible for you

You can absolutely become the peaceful, grounded presence who brings lightness into the room rather than tension.

I help women do this every day, women who thought it was too late, too complicated, or too painful to untangle.

And it changes everything.

Take Care of Your Health

There are no guarantees of time for any of us! I consider myself healthy, but I know that doesn’t mean I’ll have 40 more years with the grandkids. But I sure am hoping for it.

For me, eating real food, moving my body, and having a positive outlook on life help keep me active and energetic.

The payoff is that I can actively participate in a lot of things with the girls! While I love quiet activities too, it’s still fun to go to parks, take walks, push them on the swing, or go roller skating.

You may never want to get on skates again—I’m not sure I will either! But I do love being able to do stuff that I do want to do with them.

Eating real food and moving your body, increases your personal vitality. You radiate more energy and enthusiasm for life. Seriously! You become infused with animation and vibrance when you make your body a priority.

Why Trying New Things Keeps You Young (and Makes You a Better Grandparent)

Try new things my friend, with or without the grandkids. There is nothing like being a beginner and learning something new to give you some appreciation for what your grandkids do every day, all day.

Just because we’re grandmothers doesn’t mean life is over for us or that we can’t try new things.

I became a grandmother when I was 52. Since that time, I have:

• Learned to ride a bike for long distances
• Hiked up mountains and in national parks and even did one trip all on my own
• Started a successful blog, this one!
• Took on a new job for a while
• Got certified as a life and weight loss coach (business number two after 50)
• Started a second website, Granny’s in the Kitchen, with my daughter
• Bought my first on-my-own car
• Bought my first on-my-own house
• Now at 61, I’m starting new projects, making new friends, and having new experiences.

Believe me, I was NOT like this in my 20’s, 30’s, or 40’s! I was afraid to try stuff and often quit way too soon.

Why being a beginner again Is good for your soul

I think doing new things is the fountain of youth. At the very least, even if you don’t look younger, you will feel younger.

It’s funny, because it might appear that I have this wildly adventuresome life. And it is at times.

But most of the time, I’m a quiet introvert who loves to write and create. My time with the grandchildren is usually spent playing on the floor, doing crafts, or cuddling and watching a movie.

New Experiences = New Energy (for You and Your Grandkids)

Recently, I bought my six-year-old granddaughter this complicated child-level electrical engineering toy. Yes, I AM that kind of grandmother. I had hoped that someone else would help her with it.

However, when I visited a month after Christmas and still no one had opened the box, I took a deep breath and decided that I would tackle that thing.

To be honest, at first it freaked me out! There was no way I would be able to create electrical circuits.

We forged ahead and created several working circuits that gradually became more complicated. The kids loved it and I was so proud of myself.

Even small new things count

Trying new things doesn’t always mean climbing mountains or learning electrical circuits. Sometimes it’s a new coffee shop, a new class, or a new way of spending time with the grandkids.

Small new experiences wake up parts of you that have been asleep for years and that energy is contagious.

Be an Enthusiastic Participant in Life

Life is hard sometimes. It’s scary, unpredictable, and messy. And when things feel overwhelming, it’s tempting to shrink back into what’s familiar: the routines, the roles, the places where nothing feels risky.

But here’s the truth: being an enthusiastic participant in your own life means being willing to feel your life. All of it.

Yes, that includes the uncomfortable stuff, embarrassment, sadness, fear, anger, shame, and uncertainty.

Not fun, I know. But the women who live fully are not the ones who avoid feelings; they’re the ones who learn they can handle them.

Feeling everything is what makes life bigger

When you stop running from the hard feelings, you get full access to the good ones, the ones that make life rich and vibrant: joy, commitment, bravery, tenderness, confidence, desire, playfulness, and that sparkly sense of enthusiasm that lights up a room.

Once you experience the freedom of allowing emotions instead of guarding yourself from them, “comfortable” starts to look a lot like “boring.”

Why settle for muted when you can have a whole palette of feelings that make you feel alive?

Take Responsibility for Your Own Feelings

This is a big one. And once you really get it, everything in your relationships changes.

Your kids don’t create your happiness. Your grandkids don’t create your happiness. Your partner doesn’t create your happiness.

And they don’t create your unhappiness either.

Yes, when I look at my granddaughters, I feel like my heart might burst. I’m flooded with love and joy.
But that feeling isn’t coming from them, it’s coming from what I’m thinking about them.

If I wanted to (and why would I?), I could think thoughts that create irritation or frustration, and I’d feel completely different.

The power is always inside us.

Why this matters more than you think

When we expect other people to make us feel good, we unintentionally put strain on our relationships.
We get disappointed. We get reactive. We try to change them so we can feel better.

Years ago, I had a rough patch with my daughter. I was judging her decisions and convincing myself she was the reason I felt hurt. I was wrong and thankfully, I had a coach who helped me see that all my suffering was coming from my own thoughts.

Cleaning up my thinking changed everything. Our relationship strengthed. We grew closer. And I became the woman, mother, and friend I wanted to be without needing her to change at all.

That is the real magic: You can transform a relationship all by yourself.

No drama. No lectures. No “fixing” other people. Just doing your own inner work and letting that shift the dynamic.

It’s liberating. It’s powerful. And it’s available to you too.

Be You, Not Perfect

I want you to hear this clearly: you don’t have to be perfect to be the best version of yourself or the best grandparent. You don’t need a flawless life, a flawless body, or flawless behavior. You just need you: the real, honest, growing, curious you.

My life’s work has shown me this over and over: Women blossom when they stop performing and start showing up as themselves.

We are wired for growth, not perfection. And the more authentic you become, the more alive you feel.

It’s counterintuitive, but the best version of you is not the polished one: it’s the one who is emotionally grounded, self-aware, compassionate with herself, and willing to keep evolving.

Being loved by yourself, exactly as you are right now is the most powerful foundation you can give your family.

Your grandchildren don’t need a perfect grandmother. They need the vibrant, warm, fully expressed woman who laughs, listens, and lets them see what a beautifully lived life looks like.

When you prioritize your emotional wellness, your body, your joy, and your curiosity… everything else rises with you.

• Your relationships deepen.
• Your energy returns.
• You feel more present, more playful, more you.
• And everyone around you feels that shift, especially your grandkids.

If you’re craving that version of yourself, the one who feels alive again, I’d love to help you get there.

You can book a free coaching consult, and we’ll talk about how to bring your spark back… not just for your grandkids, but for you.

Your next chapter can be the most meaningful one yet. Let’s make it happen.

FAQs

1. What makes someone a great grandparent?

A great grandparent is present, emotionally grounded, and authentically themselves. Kids gravitate toward adults who feel warm, fun, and safe, not perfect.

2. How do I connect more with my grandchildren?

Work on your own emotional health first. When you feel good, have energy, and are living a full life, showing up for your grandkids feels natural and joyful.

3. I worry I’m not doing enough. What should I focus on?

Focus on being emotionally available, consistent, and yourself. A curious, growing grandmother creates the strongest bonds.

4. Can improving myself really make me a better grandparent?

Absolutely. When you release resentment, care for your health, try new things, and embrace authenticity, your relationships flourish, including with your grandkids.

5. What if I’m not a grandparent yet?

Everything in this post applies to any woman who wants to feel more alive, confident, and connected in the second half of life.

The post Be the Best You to Be the Best Grandparent appeared first on My Think Big Life.

If you’ve ever wondered how to be an amazing grandmother on a budget, I’m going to share with you the most important things you can give your grandchildren.

How much you can spend on grandchildren has no bearing on how much they will love you. You can absolutely be an amazing grandmother and create an unforgettable bond on a budget!

I wrote my first post about being an awesome grandmother eight years ago when my granddaughter was two. Being a grandmother was a revelation for me as I experienced this new kind of love.

When I first became a grandmother, I did not have a lot of extra income and it was tempting to be sad when I didn’t have enough money buy expensive things for my grandchildren.

However, I discovered that grandchildren want the same thing all of us want. Love, attention, interest, and time. They want to be around people that get them and like them as people.

Since then I’ve written several more posts that have been widely read. As I was thinking about my ten years as a grandmother, I realized that I had also been an amazing grandmother on a budget.

While there is nothing wrong with spending a lot of money on grandkids, I just didn’t have the means to buy lots of presents or expensive experiences. In fact, I rarely spend money on my grandkids to this day.

And guess what?

They still adore me.

In fact, I now believe it’s partly because they do not associate me in anyway with getting things. To them, I’m the person that will sit on the floor with them or lay on the couch chit-chatting for as long as they want.

If you’ve ever been concerned that you don’t have enough money to be a awesome grandmother, this is your reminder that money doesn’t make a difference to how children feel about you.

While enough money is a necessity in life, you don’t have to do excessive or extravagant gift giving to create a special bond with your grandchildren.

Here’s my list of ways to be an amazing grandmother on a budget. After I wrote the headings, I realized that it’s about half developing the relationship and half developing yourself.

• Spend Quality Time With Grandchildren
• How to Show Interest
• Accept Grandchildren as Themselves
• Be Yourself
• Be a Person That They Like as Well as Love

To be an amazing To be an amazing grandparent, you have to be amazing.

How to Create Quality Time with Your Grandchildren

I do understand that all families are different and we have different levels of access to our grandchildren.

In my situation, I visit my daughter and her family about once a week and spend the afternoon and evening with them.

It’s an hour each way, so we usually just hang out at the house. Sometimes they come visit me. My daughter doesn’t ask for much babysitting, but she and her husband appreciate the time that I spend with the kids so they can get some things done around the house.

Our visits usually start with the kids showing me things they’ve done, created, or gotten since I was last there. The last time I visited they showed me animated videos they had made on their tablet. 

One time it was a TV show they had made complete with commercials. For a while they were both writing and illustrating comic books.

So the first part of creating quality time, is showing genuine interest in what they are doing or making. I love meeting any new friends (their new stuffed animals) and learning their names.

Beyond that, we find things to do together. Because they do receive lots of gifts from other grandparents and aunts and uncles, I’m the one that ends up reading the instructions and teaching them the game or how to do the craft.

What Is Quality Time?

I think of quality time as when we spend time with each other and getting to know each other better.

In reading definitions of quality time, most refer to “undivided attention.” In my experience that isn’t feasible with kids and their attention is more fluid.

That means we have periods where we are focused on each other but there are also times when their attention moves or mine does.

But I’m there, they are there, and it’s all good.

Here are my favorite ways of creating quality time.

Board or video games

Games are always a fun way to spend time together because they usually allow plenty of time for talking.

Plus there are the fun aspects of competing with each other, joking, and laughing.

Crafts

This is the area where I shine the most! The kids have a large selection of craft materials and we all love to make things.

They usually get craft kits for Christmas and their birthdays and I’m usually the one that helps them put their crafts together.

Pretend play

Some of my grandchildren are younger and enjoy playing with Barbies, Legos, and stuffed animals.

You might think I get in there and pretend, but I don’t. I’m upfront with the kids when I tell them that I’m just not as good at pretending as they are.

However, I will sit there and either build things or create amazing outfits for the dolls.

I thoroughly enjoy just being with them and talking about whatever comes up.

Walks

One of my favorite things to do is to take walks with the grandchildren. It helps them get some activity and there are usually interesting things to see and chat about.

Here in Texas, wildflowers grow all over in the spring. My youngest granddaughter loves wildflower hunts. (Where it’s okay to pick them)

We don’t aim for speed—we aim for fun! So it’s fine to stop and look at things or climb things or rest. Walks that lead to a local park is also great.

There is no one way to have quality time! In a nutshell, it’s finding things you all enjoy. If you are looking for a giant list of quality time activities, I’ve got you covered. Pop over to my post Unforgettable Activities to do With Your Grandchildren.

How to How to Show Interest in Your Grandchildren

Your grandchildren are people no matter what their age is. Showing interest means active listening and at times asking questions.

This doesn’t mean interrogating them or being intrusive. It’s a fine line at times.

My grandchildren went through a period of time where they created comic books. Very long, involved, multi-character comic books.

I couldn’t keep up with it all!

This was probably the closest I’ve come to “faking it” with them. But I could admire their creativity, their enthusiasm, and how much they enjoyed writing and illustrating.

In addition, I go to dance competitions, soccer games, bowling matches, or whatever comes up when I can.

Accept Grandchildren as Themselves

This is probably easier when they are little and so darned cute. As they get older, you might struggle and I’ve addressed this in how to stay close to teenage grandchildren.

But it really does start when they are young.

You may imagine your little grandchild being a certain way and they won’t necessarily be that way.

One example is actually my own child. From the time she was about two, she had an opinion about her clothes and what she wanted to wear.

That continued for her entire childhood and teenage years. If I had decided to fight her on it, we would have fought her entire life.

However, I accepted her as she was and we have a great relationship.

I’ve noticed that my daughter also allows her daughters to dress how they want.

Sure the girls will put on complementary outfits or dresses for special occasions or outings. But in general they have autonomy over how they dress.

Children have their own interests and passions. They were not born to be extensions of anyone. They also weren’t born to fit into a mold that someone else created.

My grandchildren know that I see them as autonomous humans who are worthy just as they are. They don’t have to dress a certain way, wear their hair a certain way, or like the things I like.

And you know what? They happen to be the most pleasant, polite, well-adjusted people I know. Nope letting children be themselves does not create brats.

Be Yourself

I truly believe that what makes you an amazing grandparent is being yourself, not some version that you think a grandmother should be.

The best gifts are you showing up with your own hobbies, likes, enthusiasm, and weirdness.

Yes, weirdness too. My grandchildren know and respect my weird ways.

One example is when we are in the car and we listen to MY music. My grandchildren tease me about the sappy love songs I like. Or the falling out of love songs.

They know I don’t like to drink after other people, so if they want me to taste their drink, they offer it to me first.

I often observe that women become peripheral in other’s lives when they get older. What I mean by that is that we base our lives on other’s.

Instead of centering our lives on ourselves, we center it on partners, children, and grandchildren.

The problem with that is that you become a shadow of yourself. My clients often find me when they are overweight, exhausted, and frustrated with life.

They are doing all the right things but still feel like something is missing. That missing something is you!

Many of you think your best years are behind you and I totally disagree. I love believing that my best time of life is NOW and whatever comes after today.

Yes, I know you’ve been taught to not be selfish, lazy, or think to much of yourself.

If you are looking in the mirror and are HAPPY with what you see, then I love that for you. In my experience most women put taking care of themselves last.

And what is that self-care? It’s time for rest, exercise, planning and eating good food. It’s time for putting up your feet and nourishing your mind through reading, meditating, or just daydreaming.

When you become the best you, you become authentic. What people see is what they get, in the loveliest way. Grandkids love REAL people.

And real people have their own lives that don’t revolve around other people.

That all being said, I also acknowledge that I’m not the boss of my daughter’s family and I don’t expect them to cater to my every need.

I follow the house and family rules even when I don’t totally agree.

Be a Person That They Like as Well as Love

Children are taught to love their grandparents. As much as I love being loved, I love that my grandchildren like me. They want to spend time with me.

I don’t see them as lesser because they are young and I treat them as if what they like is just as important as what anyone likes.

My grandchildren are people I like as well as love and they can feel that.

While I don’t center my life around my children or grandkids, I do make spending time with them a priority. It’s important to make time for the people you love.

My daughter and I plan together for my time with the kiddos so that it works for all of us. Fortunately that usually works out to one afternoon/evening a week.

I realize that all families are different and all people are different. I have two other children and that would be too much for them, so we see each other less.

But I know that whenever I let them know I want some time with them, they enthusiastically make some time.

This is why it’s important to have your own life. Even with the best of intentions, modern families are busy, often with both parents working and lots of activities for the children.

Handling Gift-giving, Christmas and other holidays, and Birthdays

Gift giving is stressful for me. Some people love shopping and picking out gifts but I’m not one of them.

So, over the years, I have come up with ways to change what gift-giving means in our family.

My grandchildren have always had more toys than they can ever get around to playing with. I know this because I am with them so much and I began seeing that most gifts that I or other people gave them did not get used.

We have a big family and they are the only little kids so it meant a lot of presents at holidays and birthdays.

About eight years ago, my younger daughter and I stopped buying toys and things for the kids and instead bought tickets to shows.

We spent about the same money but we created a memorable experience instead of just giving them something that would eventually be thrown away or donated elsewhere.

Then my daughter-in-law got involved. By then, the non-gift experiences were so much fun they expanded. Even the kid’s mom comes along now.

We do experiences instead of all gifts now.

This summer we did a girl’s night out on town for the grandchildren, their aunts, grandmother, and their mom. All the grandchildren have their birthdays within a two-month time period.

We looked for deals and ended up getting a hotel for the evening with a pool and did a nice dinner out.

We all loved it!

I think this works because while it doesn’t technically save money, I feel like it is money well spent instead of money wasted.

Another thing we do at the holidays is create inexpensive keepsakes or bake together.

Creating an Amazing Bond

I value the bond I have with my grandchildren and I love sharing ideas. Not for a second do I think I know all the best ways to be a grandparent.

However, I am an enthusiastic one and my goal is to provide inspiration rather than an exact “how to” guide.

The most fun you’ll have is through the relationship with your grandchildren, not just giving them things or buying them things.

You can be an amazing grandmother on a budget.

Even if you aren’t on a budget, I really encourage you to explore ways to have a relationship through non-monetary ways.

The best gifts come from your heart!

The post How to Be an Amazing Grandmother on a Budget appeared first on My Think Big Life.

Discover 50+ unforgettable activities to do with your grandchildren, from cozy at-home crafts to exciting outings. Build lasting bonds and joyful memories.

Being a grandparent is about so much more than spoiling the grandkids. It’s about building deep, lasting connections through shared experiences that become part of your family’s story.

Over the years, I’ve discovered more than 50 unforgettable activities to do with my grandchildren, from cozy nights at home to big multigenerational adventures.

Whether your grandkids are toddlers or teens, these fun things to do with grandkids are simple, meaningful ways to create memories that last a lifetime.

This isn’t just a list; it’s a collection of real, tested, and well-loved experiences that have brought joy to three generations of my family—and now, I’m sharing them with you.

From simple at-home fun like puzzles, painting, and baking, to big, unforgettable outings like escape rooms, theater shows, and train rides, these ideas are designed to strengthen the bond between generations.

I’m sharing my favorite experiences, multigenerational adventures, and the magic of being fully present.

Whether your grandkids are toddlers or teens, you’ll find meaningful ways to connect, have fun, and create lifelong memories—without needing anything more than your time, creativity, and love.

Unforgettable Activities to do with Grandchildren

Here are over 50+ unforgettable activities to do with grandchildren. These are grandparent tested and grandchild approved!

This post is a love story. It’s about the love between my grandchildren and me. This is the real stuff we do to build an unforgettable bond.

The ideas that I share are the result of the loving relationships that I share with my grandchildren. These are all things that I and other grandparents have personally done and found value in.

When I first wrote this post I had 19 activities listed. As the years have progressed and the children have grown, the list expanded and then my readers began chiming in. 

So at this point there are over 50 activities you can do with your grandchildren.

In addition, there are about 20+ ideas in the comments from other grandparents. That’s 50 ideas to inspire you!

As you’ll see the activities have evolved over the years as the grandchildren grew and have their own preferences. Plus I include several multi-generational ideas that we are loving.

After you read through the ideas bookmark this post so you can come back whenever you need to be inspired.

As the children grow, we are doing more activities that involve more people and all the generations. This has become an important part of our family activities.

Be sure and read to the end and check out the comments from other readers who have generously shared even more idea!

My readers are awesome grandparents who are so creative in how they spend time with their grandkids.  Thank you to everyone that has taken time to share your ideas. You are the best!

Activities for Every Generation

Our family has begun to prioritize activities that everyone can do. Our age range is 6 to 75. As the grandchildren get older they are interested in other things and the LOVE the opportunity to hang out with the older generations.

This has turned to be fun for everyone! The little girls love hearing stories about their parents, uncles and aunts.

Here is an example of one of our favorite activities we have done. This was a fun way to celebrate multiple birthdays all at once in an unforgettable way!

I have three grandchildren, all girls ages 6 to 16. This summer to celebrate their birthdays which are close together, we did the following:

Girl’s night on the town

My two daughters, my daughter-in-law and I booked a couple of rooms at a hotel with a pool. We planned for swimming as soon as we could check in, dinner at a nearby restaurant, and then night time swimming.

The next morning after check out, we took the girls to a tea room for high tea.

This was as much fun for the older adults as it was for the girls. We loved planning it and it was so much fun. 

All of these activities would be just as much fun for boys, even the tea (My grown son remembers a time I took him.) Of course you can personalize it for your own grandchildren.

These inter-generational activities are a great way to share stories, pass along traditions, and catch up with each other.

Another benefit is it gives the children a chance to dress up a bit, practice manners, and get a safe and fun grown-up experience.

I know it can be difficult to get everyone together and as it turned out my daughter-in-law found the ONE weekend we could all get together by sending out a poll by text to get everyone’s availability.

Themed parties

We had an Under the Sea/Salon Day/Dance party for the little one’s fifth birthday last year. She picked the themes and we loved it!

You’ll see that we have loved dressing up over the years as you read on.

My daughter-in-law found inexpensive face jewels and we took our makeup to the next level. I love dressing up and makes our normal activities unforgettable.

I love to go all in on the dress up. You can’t really see it but I am Ursula. The girl’s other grandmother does not love to dress up but she always buys a themed tee-shirt to wear.

Escape room

Earlier this summer our family went to an escape room. It was a lot of fun! We had grandparents, grandchildren, parents, uncles, and aunts.

We decided ahead of time that this would not be a competitive venture. The little ones really enjoyed the spooky (but not too spooky) atmosphere and helping look for clues.

You’ll be happy to know that we did escape!

Painting party

This is our new favorite family activity. No I didn’t have them paint walls, they painted art. I set up tables with paints and canvases and let everyone do their thing. We had fun food and had our favorite football team on television.

This was such a huge success that we have had several more since and the grandkids always want to know when the next one is. 

What Are Unforgettable Activities?

Last night, I was hanging out with my grandchildren. It was my middle granddaughter’s first soccer game earlier in the day. We had a great time.

After dinner the girls and I settled onto the couch. The little one put a pillow on my lap and laid down next to me. The soccer girl, leaned up against me to snuggle.

That hour of snuggling was unforgettable for me! You do not have to be super active to have unforgettable memories.

As far as indoor activities, reading a favorite book, working a jigsaw puzzle or just “chit chatting” as the little one likes to call it, are all great.

My style of grand-mothering is often hanging out with the girls and doing activities or cuddling on the couch watching a show. Unforgettable activities are anything you spend time doing with your grandchildren.

It’s YOU that makes these activities unforgettable!

To be an unforgettable grandparent, you need to do memorable things with your grandchildren and I’m going to share some of my ideas.

I’m here to provide the inspiration, motivation, and encouragement to not just be unforgettable but to also form an amazing relationship with your grandchild or grandchildren.

Even if you’re not sure you could ever be unforgettable, I promise you that you already are.

Children may remember some gifts but what they really remember is time with you!

Why Shared Activities Matter for Grandparents and Grandchildren

I have worked with children for much in my life. I was a Brownie leader, a cub scout leader, and I ran a teen and children’s program. Here is what I know.

All children adore an adult who will spend time with them in activities that they enjoy.

It really doesn’t matter what you do–it’s that you do something with them. When you put your time, focus, and attention on children they LOVE it.

You can shoot hoops, go for walks, sit and talk, play games, cook food, or anything else you like to do and that you think they’ll like.

Here are the things I’ve been doing to stay connected to my grandchildren.

Themed Parties and Creative Play Ideas

If you are lucky enough to be together, you can find all kinds of things to do. My grandchildren now range in age from6 to 16.

Creating memorable activities that could be done at home was so much fun. What I really discovered was that everything can be fun with the right attitude.

Movie night

Here’s another fun grandparent bonding idea.

Find a movie that everyone wants to watch. I do this with my daughter, son-in-law, and three grandchildren. We have fun finding movies that my daughter liked as a kid or new releases.

We put a picnic blanket on the floor with cushions for the kids. There is always popcorn with some candy treats sprinkled in.

It’s even more fun when you dress up to the theme of the movie but that isn’t required every time.

Painting

One activity that all three of them loved was painting. I had picked up a set of 30 acrylic paints in a set, a big pack of inexpensive brushes, and heavy duty painting paper.

Supply paper plates and cups of water for painting. A plastic table cloth is helpful too.

It was fun to see how all three girls expressed themselves. Even the baby had fun. I provided the most help to her, but she loved the experience.

All three girls had their own way of painting and creating their works of art. I love encouraging creativity.

While art is my thing, you could totally do this with simple sewing or a baking project.

Doing puzzles

We had fun doing some puzzles together. Nothing too hard. Again, it was good for all three ages. The baby doesn’t like to do baby things, so she’s always game for what the older girls want to do.

Their favorite was a United States map puzzle and they had fun learning about the states while doing the puzzle.

Making Christmas ornaments

This is next on my list! Here is a post I did that gives lots of ideas for ornaments you can make. I love making things that create memories and I love homemade Christmas ornaments!

Homemade Christmas Ornaments

This year, in 2020, we didn’t do our annual cookie making party. But one day I was looking at my newest cookie cutter, a Christmas sweater and decided the grandkids and I could do salt dough ornaments.

I used the same paint I had used for a painting activity, a set of 30 acrylic paints and I made the dough ahead of time. They were so much fun to do!

Unforgettable At-Home Activities with Grandchildren

Fun music

Whether it’s dancing inside or playing outside on the swings, my little ones love fun music.

When the weather was nice, we took the music outside and played on the swing set. I kept the two little girls going, while big sister could swing herself.

You can’t see it but we have a big speaker to play our tunes. Playing outside or dancing to music is a great way for kids to use some energy. We have a blast.

I keep a playlist of their favorite songs on my phone. We play them in the car, while playing outside, and just when we feel like getting silly with some dancing.

Play games

My grandchildren love to play video games but I don’t. So, even though they ask me, I always say no. I know, party-pooper for sure. However, some video games make me dizzy, so the girls totally understand.

If you don’t get dizzy like me, your grandchildren would probably love to have you join them.

I did enjoy virtual bowling and the entire family was able to participate in that.

Now that the girls are a little older, we love to play a game that everyone (or almost anyone) can play. 

As a family we’ve begun playing games where children and the adults can participate. We’re lucky that one of the adults loves games and will bring a few to every family event. 

It’s worth trying to find games to play because I think games are good for kids! They learn to follow rules, compete, and practice good sportsmanship.

Teach them to sew or crochet

My 10-year old granddaughter is obsessed with learning to sew and crochet and has been since she was seven. Her other grandmother got her started on both and she loved doing it.

I found that you can buy kits on Amazon that have projects already cut out, that your little one can sew. Our kit came with plastic and real needles.

Supervision is still needed, especially if there are younger children around.

Sewing and other handcrafts are a valuable skill to know. My little one dreams of the things she will make. In the meantime she is improving her eye-hand coordination and expressing her creativity.

2023 update: My little toymaker is still making her stuffed animals. Now she designs and sews her own! I recently bought her a sewing machine and now we are both learning to use it.

Unforgettable Outings with Grandchildren

Once a month or so, I like to schedule an activity with a grandchild or two that is more catered to them and what they like to do. Here are some of my favorite outings with grandchildren

For the most part, anything that involves one-on-one time with me is considered something special by the grandchild. They really do like to hang out with me and go anywhere I suggest.

Over the past few years, the following activities to do with grandchildren have emerged as our favorites.

I’ve also made a note on what I’m calling their TOP-RATED activities. These are activities that they literally count-down the days until we get to do them.

Go to a live theater production

I’m starting with this activity because it truly is my granddaughters’ favorite thing to do.

Instead of presents for birthdays and Christmas, my daughter, their aunt, and I purchase tickets to live productions that we later take them too.

This year we’re taking them to a Cirque du Soleil show that’s coming to town.

We’ve done Broadway shows, movies at the symphony (it’s a thing here in Houston and the girls and adults all love it.) We’ve done live shows based on favorite cartoons.

Cities often have free events as well that you can enjoy together.

Long after other presents are forgotten and who gave them what, the memory of a great show lives on forever. This is definitely a TOP-RATED activity.

Go to an amazing park to play

To a kid, most parks are amazing. Here in Houston, I’ve found a few parks that are memorable that the girls had never been too.

Most of the time, taking the grandkids to a park is a treat enough but when you find a great one it becomes an unforgettable activity to do with grandchildren.

Recently though, I added a small picnic to it to make it even more special.

My grandchildren from 4 to 14 all love going to the park and when they get to go to a special one, it’s even more fun. TOP-RATED

Take a train ride

Train rides are fun! This is a super fun thing to do with grandchildren.

The park near my house has a small train that runs throughout the park. The grandkids love that. In addition, we have a metro rail that runs through town. That’s about as adventuresome as I’ve gotten.

However, there are real trains out there and kids love that too! My sister’s grandchildren love to go on real train rides.

To tell you the truth, I still remember my first train ride as a child. Train rides are memorable!

Take them to meet an author or artist

You can find these events at bookstores, gift stores, museums, or other types of cultural centers. I did this with my oldest granddaughter and she was thrilled.

While children often read books, they don’t really have the concept that real people create the words and art!

Get a museum membership and do frequent but short visits

Going to the museum can be expensive. I purchase a dual membership every year to one museum.

With a dual membership, I can take one grandchild at a time. Because it’s a membership, I don’t feel I have to stay at the museum all day.

It makes it easy and memorable, when you can pop into a museum and just do one or two exhibits.

That way no one gets tired or overwhelmed (ME) and you don’t have to spring for expensive museum snacks.

You can do this with museums of science or natural history, the art museum, or the zoo. 

Take them to a restaurant they wouldn’t normally go to

It’s fun to take the grandkids out to a restaurant they wouldn’t normally go to.

Heck I like that too! My grandchildren are not picky eaters and can usually find something they like anywhere.

If you usually go to diners, try taking them somewhere a little fancier. If you usually eat inside, try eating outside.

Try some different ethnic foods and introduce them to another country’s food. Go somewhere that has things for the kids to do.

Plant a small garden together

Flowers, herbs, or vegetables. Even if you don’t have room for a proper garden, you can put some plants in a pot or two.

I recommend going to the garden store and picking some things that are already growing.

While planting seeds has its benefits, it’s kind of slow for kids. Plus, nurturing seeds along is more work.

Make a little garden together and then later, enjoy it or pick something to use in a meal.

Make a scrapbook with pictures of your experiences

Be sure and take pictures of all your fun and adventures with your grandchildren. I LOVE to look through everything we’ve done together over the years.

To make it more memorable, create a scrapbook together. If you do it online, you can order copies for yourself and your grandchildren as well.

I’ve use Shutterfly and they were easy to use. Sign up for the mailing list to get the best prices!

You can also print out the pictures and paste them into a scrapbook, the old-school way.

Make crafts together

I keep a variety of things for the kids to craft with. Your collection doesn’t have to be extensive but keep the basics on hand.

I keep paper, chip board (like what goes behind pictures in a frame), scissors, markers, glue, pencils, and different things they can embellish their crafts with.

Often, we make cards or photo frames as gifts for family members.

Or they can just draw. I keep a tablecloth with the crafts so I don’t have to worry if they mark on the table. TOP-RATED

Share books from your childhood with your grandchild

I was thrilled when my oldest granddaughter learned to read! Finally, I could share the Little House books, Anne of Green Gables, and A Little Princess.

Right now, the two younger ones love reading the books I saved from when their mom was young. They especially love the Berenstain Bears and The Magic School Bus.

In addition, I love introducing books to the grandchildren. Reading is still one of my favorite activities and I love having little readers in the family.

We visit libraries and bookstores to get books to read. I’ve even passed down some of my own books for them to read.

As well as books I read myself, I also introduce them to books my children loved reading. It’s hard to believe that Harry Potter has been around that long!

Send postcards from every place you visit

When my own children were small, their grandparents traveled a lot and sent postcards from every location. The kids still have all of these postcards 25 years later!

Now that I’m traveling more, I try to keep up this tradition. When you travel, take addresses and stamps with you to make it easier.

Teach them to do something

Teach them something you like to do. Cook, knit, crochet, play soccer, bake a cake, fish, ride a bike, make friendship bracelets. You get the idea.

Share something you enjoy and teach them to do it too!

Let them help you with something

While kids don’t always like chores, often they won’t mind a bit to help you with a project.

Children of various ages can help clean out a closet, weed a garden, dust furniture, or go grocery shopping.

Take them to a pool and you get in too

This activity has the distinction of being the grandkids favorite activity and my least favorite activity.

They have amazing memories of going to the pools at my apartments. Even though I don’t like getting in the water, for safety reasons, of course I’d get in with the little ones. TOP-RATED

Have grandchildren spend the night

Overnights are a favorite memorable activity for grandkids. This is always a TOP-RATED activity!

Here’s how to Help Grandchildren Feel at Home When They Visit.

Take them out for breakfast the next morning

I don’t make breakfast for myself at home, so I usually take them to my favorite coffee shop. I get my coffee and they get juice or milk and a muffin.

It’s a win-win.

Help grandchildren do something for their parents

On Mother’s Day, I helped the girls make a craft for their mom. It was a big hit and a surprise for their mom who didn’t know anything about it.

Kids love their parents and it’s a big deal for them to be able to do something for their parents. You could also help them cook dinner for the parents, make some cookies, or do a little cleaning if the parents are out.

Tell the grandchildren stories about their Mom or Dad

My little grandchildren love to hear stories about their mom and her siblings when they were little. They love to hear what they liked to do and times when they got into trouble.

When we’re all together, they will often ask, “What was mom like as a kid?” Or “What were you like as a kid?” 

Or my grown children will tell funny stories about growing up and their own adventures. The grandkids love this special time.

Have a camp out

My dad used to put camp outs together for my kids and their cousins. I haven’t attempted this one yet, mostly because I forgot about it until I was writing this post.

My children and their cousins LOVED these campouts. There would always a tent set up and a campfire. The most memorable campout was the night a storm came through and everyone ended up inside.

Outdoor adventures are always a hit with most children. 

Top-Rated Grandparent-Grandchild Activities

Anytime you give to grandchildren is good time spent. Don’t feel like you have to do these kinds of things every week.

Most of these are special occasions. Sprinkle them in through the years and you will create amazing memories with your grandchildren.

My readers have contributed dozens of additional ideas in the comments. I absolutely love the ideas and often try them out.

Share Your Own Unforgettable Ideas

The love between grandparents and grandchildren is built over time, through the moments you choose to share. Whether you’re painting together, planning a themed party, or heading out on a special adventure, these unforgettable grandparent activities aren’t about perfection, they’re about connection.

Start with one or two ideas and make them your own. Over the years, these shared experiences will become the stories your grandchildren tell again and again.

I’d love to hear your favorite activities to do with grandchildren, so share them in the comments below. Let’s keep inspiring each other to create joyful, lasting memories across generations

FAQs

Q: What are some fun things grandparents can do with grandchildren at home?
A: Simple activities like puzzles, painting, baking, and crafts create meaningful, screen-free time together.

Q: What are some inexpensive grandparent outing ideas?
A: Parks, train rides, library events, museums with memberships, or themed days at home are all affordable and memorable.

Q: How do I connect with grandchildren of different ages?
A: Focus on multigenerational activities that everyone can enjoy—like themed parties, painting nights, or outings planned around shared interests

The post 19 Unforgettable Activities to do With Grandchildren appeared first on My Think Big Life.

One of my favorite ways to be an awesome and unforgettable grandparent is to make Christmas ornaments and decorations with my grandchildren.

Not only is it FUN but you have a keepsake that you can use year after year. Here are 20 adorable keepsake ornaments that you can make with your grandchildren.

This year, I am planning to do salt dough ornaments again using my cookie cutters and decorating them to look like frosted cookies. I’ll prepare the dough and dry the ornaments ahead of time so the grandkids can have the fun of painting them.

It is holiday tradition of ours is to get together and make ornaments or make cut out sugar or gingerbread cookies. We make enough to share with the extended family.

The goal is not to have perfect ornaments or decorations. The goal is to have fun as a family and create amazing memories!

One year we made salt dough ornaments that we cut out with cookie cutters, baked, and painted. Another year, we made foot prints in salt dough and painted them to look like Olaf.

We’ve done cloves in oranges–that’s a good one. Last year, I tried melted crayons in glass balls. They are pretty but probably not the best to do with children.

Another favorite one was I used a sweater cookie cutter with salt dough and we made them all look like ugly sweaters!

Best Practices for Crafts with Kids

Like Santa, make a list and check it twice. Make sure you have everything you need.

Another tip is to check the timing. Salt dough takes a long time to dry, that’s why I am doing it ahead of time. It works better if it dries naturally.

Make sure you have all the supplies you need and enough for everyone.

If it’s messy, make sure to have a waterproof tablecloth or some kind of tarp that covers the table. I also use a tarp for under the table if paint is involved.

For projects with paint, I keep a supply of old t-shirts that the kids can through over their own clothes if they haven’t dressed for the project.

Parents, uncles, and aunts can all enjoy making ornaments too! I’m a huge fan of multi-generational activities.

20 Christmas Ornaments to Make with Grandchildren

This year, I’ve been searching for something fun and colorful to do for our ornament-making party.

There are some crafty people out there! These are my favorites!

Christmas Ornaments from Popsicle Sticks

A popular Christmas decoration is the red truck with a Christmas tree in the back, with this craft tutorial you can make your own red truck ornament from popsicle sticks.

Grab your glue gun and colored popsicle sticks to make these fun Christmas tree ornaments.

Create a variety of playful ornaments with this Christmas Craft Sticks tutorial.

No craft party would be complete if you didn’t include a gingerbread house. This one is adorable and includes a template to print out for easy sizing of your popsicle sticks.

Here’s one more set of fun popsicle ornaments that include a snowman, Santa, and Christmas tree.

Christmas Ornament Photo Frames

Photo frames always make adorable ornaments and keepsakes. Here are two I absolutely love!

This Christmas Photo Ornament is super easy and makes a cute gift for the kids to give Mom and Dad.

Get out your glitter for this fun lollipop photo frame.

Christmas Ornaments from Things Around the House

Snowmen are always a fun addition to your Christmas tree, and these snowman ornaments are cute and easy!

These wooden spoon angel ornaments are sure to be a hit with your grandkids.

I always have extra clothespins around the house, don’t you? These clothespin snowmen will put them to good use!

These gingerbread house ornaments are perfect for older grandchildren.

If you like a natural look for your ornaments try these scrap ribbon Christmas trees.

These paper straw Christmas wreath ornaments are easy to make as well as fun to look at!

Other Fun Christmas Decor Your Grandkids Will Love Making

This garland is super easy to make. All you need is felt, glue, and string! You can use the template provided with the tutorial or draw your own trees.

Put those empty egg cartons to good use with this fun egg carton Christmas decor.

Don’t forget to put up a Christmas wreath. This paper plate snowman will be perfect!

Recycle your toilet paper rolls to make these adorable tube snowmen.

If your grandkids enjoy Cocoa pebbles, they’ll love this cute reindeer craft.

The best part of making crafts with grandchildren is simply spending quality time with them.

Where’s the Salt Dough?

When I updated this, I realize that while I love making salt dough ornaments, I don’t have any directions here. Sorry! I usually just look up the proportions of flour, salt, and water, then wing in from there.

This year I am making the salt dough in advance so I can let it air dry. Baking in the oven tends to make the surface uneven.

But as I make these, I’ll photograph and share the process when I’m done. Stay tuned.

The post 20 Christmas Ornaments and Decorations to Do with Grandchildren appeared first on My Think Big Life.

Looking for an activity for you and your grandkids? Use this handy list of 17 fun crafts to do with grandchildren and start creating many awesome memories.

I love finding ways to spend quality time with my grandchildren. Doing crafts is a favorite with them. They love when I have the supplies and directions and we can make something together.

Having some great crafts on hand will help you create a stronger bond with your grandchildren and help them develop some real life skills!

Arts and Crafts Develop Real Life Skills

Beyond having fun, crafts to do with grandkids, can make a huge positive impact on their lives. It is well-known that art and crafts are good for a child’s brain development. Doing crafts benefits a child in many ways:

• Helps children with academic subjects such as math and science
• Teaches problem solving skills
• Stimulates visual and motor skills
• Encourages self-expression and creativity

Doing crafts with grandchildren is so good for them!

How I Got into Doing Fun Crafts with Grandchildren

“Grammy, can we do crafts today?” My five-year old granddaughter is obsessed with doing crafts. Beyond being fun, I’ve come to believe “doing crafts” is also a brain builder for kids.

In her five-year old way, she summed it up best. “I can see what I want in my head and then I can make it.”

That’s a really cool skill for life.

My challenge has been finding crafts that we can do together that we both enjoy. Finding fun crafts for myself, led to rounding up some crafters that I decided to feature.

This list will help expand your crafting options with the grandkids.

The Importance of Arts and Crafts on a Child’s Life

As a grandparent, you can help nurture your child’s creativity for life. Research shows that most children are creative at the beginning of their school career but that by fourth grade it is severely diminished.

As a grandparent, you can help keep their creativity alive and working well. This has never been more important in a child’s life.

In an age where we don’t know what will be the careers of the future, a child armed with a strong creative background will be better prepared for life in general.

And you thought this was just about fun?

Really, the children ARE our future and helping them develop their creativity is one of the most important things you can do with them. Plus, it’s fun for you and them.

17 Fun Crafts to Do with Grandchildren

I picked these crafts based on ones that I’ve done with my own grandchildren and what they have enjoyed doing. Think of these crafts as starting places.

Once you have the supplies you can do similar crafts or bust out some moves on your own. It’s also fun to see where a child’s creativity takes them.

My granddaughter designs 3-D projects in her mind and then has me help her translate them into the real thing. I’m pretty sure this is good for my brain too!

Even if you don’t consider yourself crafty, these are fun activities you CAN do with your grandchildren.

Nature-related Crafts

Spend a little time with your grandkids enjoying nature and gather some twigs for this fun and easy craft, making twig names.

Here is another fun nature-related craft with these leaf textured clay coasters. These will make a nice gift for them to take home to mom and dad. If you don’t have any clay on hand, try this homemade clay recipe.

Painted rock art is another easy nature-related craft. You can make the rocks as colorful and bright as you want.

Button Crafts

Who doesn’t have extra buttons in a drawer somewhere? Put those buttons to use in these two crafts that you and your grandkids will love!

First, there is the adorable flower button art project. These make cute cards too!

Second, make button bracelets. If you have enough of the same ones, you can even make matching bracelets.

Popsicle Stick Crafts

Do you love spending time drawing with your grandkids? If so, you’ll love these craft stick dolls.

Be sure to save some of those craft sticks for this next project – craft stick flower pots! This is a fun craft that will also make a beautiful gift for mom or teacher.

One more fun craft stick project is this cute and easy popsicle stick apple core.

Crafts for Rainy Days Indoors

On a rainy day, the two of you can make your own sunshine with this paper plate sun and rainbow.

Do you keep clothespins lying around your house? Add in some pipe cleaners, googly eyes, and paint and you and your grandkid can make these adorable dragonflies.

Do you and your grandkids love to trace? Then you’ll love this fun sharpie stained t-shirt.

Kids love music so these homemade shakers and maracas will be a sure hit!

If you and your grandkid are butterfly lovers then you’ll love these next two crafts.

First, try these colorful coffee filter butterflies.

You’ll also love these chunky rainbow butterflies!

Bookmark Crafts

If you’re like me and you enjoy reading with your grandkids, then making these lovely handprint flower bookmarks will be perfect for you.

You can also try out these washi tape bookmarks that are perfect for your older grandkids.

I hope you enjoy fun crafts with your grandchildren as much as I do!

The post 17 Fun Crafts to Do With Grandchildren appeared first on My Think Big Life.

Do you want a fun, and loving relationship with your grandchildren and their parents? Here is how to be an AWESOME grandparent and create an unforgettable bond with your grandchildren!

This was the very first grand-parenting post I wrote and it is still my favorite. For a long time it was my most popular, until I wrote the follow-up, How to Be an Unforgettable Grandparent.

I first wrote these when I was still fairly new to grandparenting and over the years, I’ve updated them on a regular basis as I’ve learned more.

At this point in time, my grandchildren range in ages from 7 to 17. I still get snuggles and cuddles that make my day.

This advice is based not just on my personal experience of being a grandmother but on my experience being a life coach who works with women to have better relationships.

Being a grandmother is absolutely one of my favorite relationships!

I celebrate every holiday and birthday with them and I know that I am very fortunate to live about an hour away from them.

This post is a little different from my other ones which focus on the fun side of grand-parenting. In this post I dig a little deeper into the other relationships and how you conduct yourself.

The truth is, that having a strong relationship with your grandchildren also requires you to have a good relationship with their parents (if possible) and to have your own meaningful life.

As much fun as grandchildren are, they can’t take the place of damaged relationships or a life you don’t love.

I’ve also written many other posts as my relationships with my grandchildren grow and expand. Looking for activities, check out 19+ Unforgettable Activities to do with Grandchildren.

Being their Grammy is one of my most cherished roles in life. I originally wrote this post more than five years ago. But it formed the basis for how I approached grandparent-hood. It is definitely a keeper!

Being an Awesome Grandparent Isn’t About Perfect Situations

When families grow and grandchildren are born; it’s easy to get excited about this new relationship.

But it can be a complicated one because you are also dealing with your own child and their spouse and other grandparents.

Add divorces, remarriages, and stepchildren in and sometimes things can get rocky! Or they can become even better.

Our family has all of the above! My husband and I divorced about 12 years ago and soon after found out that we were going to be grandparents.

Our family made the decision that we would always celebrate things together, as much as possible. Our kids didn’t want to split time between parents.

Just this week, we celebrated one of the grandkids birthdays. My ex-husband and his wife flew in and we spent the day together as our big, at-times messy family.

I wouldn’t have it any other way!

It’s easy to get frustrated, confused, or feel like you are falling short. But read on and I’ll show you how you can become an awesome grandparent right from the get go.

The first step is to believe that YOU can.

Being an awesome grandparent is a matter of choice. It’s not about what you buy or how much you do. It’s about creating an awesome relationship that is great for everyone involved.

Be the best you to be the best grandparent!

This post is still the BEST advice I can give. Seriously, being an awesome grandparent is the best. And I am adding an extra tip, so it’s really 11 tips on how to be an awesome grandparent.

Putting the thought and effort into being an awesome grandparent is so worth it!

Why You Want to Be an Awesome Grandparent?

Being an awesome grandparent feels good. It’s good for you and for your grandchildren. Being connected with other humans is the most healthy thing you can do in your life.

Some studies even say being an active grandparent can help you live longer.

Not only that but research points to benefits to our grandchildren as well.

From the very beginning, I’ve treated my grandparent/grandchild relationship as, well a relationship. All relationships require time, effort, and thought.

So often, we have fantasies about how being a grandparent will be. But remember, there are many other people involved! The children themselves, their parents, and even other grandparents.

Figuring out your role in this new paradigm is important. You won’t know exactly how it will work until you are in it. However, I want your experience as a grandparent to be amazing and that’s why I wrote this.

So, here are my 10 suggestions for being an awesome grandparent.

#1 Respect the Parents

This is my #1 rule on how to be an awesome grandparent. If you get nothing else out of this article; please take away this advice.

The parent-child relationship is sacred and to be a trusted person in your grandchildren’s life, you have to honor Mom and Dad’s parenting decisions.

Everything I do as a grandparent must be in line with what my daughter and her husband want.

When the parents, know that you’ll abide by their house rules, it allows them to relax and enjoy your relationship with their kids, your grandchildren.

This is whether you agree or not. Mom and Dad rule and what they say goes!

Sometimes they may ask for advice and then by all means give it. However, don’t offer too much of it unsolicited.

Look, I’m human too, so I occasionally offer something. But I don’t take it personal if my daughter isn’t into it.

Honestly, I think she is an AMAZING mother even though she does many things completely different than I did.

And you know what? Her children are healthy and happy even though my daughter parents differently than I did.

Along with follow their rules, be sure and hold back any criticism.

That all being said, you may notice something that jumps out at you that may be being missed in the busyness of their lives or you may be able to add a different perspective.

I’m not saying, never speak up, but for the most part it’s best to go with what the parents say.

Most of my clients are also grandparents. For the most part the relationship with grandchildren is fine. However, occasionally, there is a situation with grandchildren that is not easy because of the grandchildren’s behavior.

You still don’t get to tell your children how to parent. What you can do is have a say in what you will and won’t do. The grandchildren don’t behave or respect your house, you can put limits on their visits, such as shorter visits.

Don’t Have Favorite Grandchildren

This is really important. You may have some preferences but no matter what you think or feel, to truly be awesome, all grand children get treated the same.

You can’t be sneaky about it either. Children remember. Cousins get together and talk about it.

Your children will discuss it. If you have a favorite and set one grandchild or one family’s children apart, everyone will know and talk about it.

I recently had someone tell me how they have such a special bond with one of their grandkids. I don’t think that is healthy long-term. One any time you start by describing a relationship with one child as special, you are already on shaky ground.

Look, there are always going to be people that you get along with easier than others. It doesn’t mean they are special. It means, you share some similarities that make it feel special. Don’t make one of your grandkids the special one.

You don’t want your legacy to be that you favored one child or one family’s children over the others. My 93-year old mom still talks about how her grandmother favored one of her sisters and was mean to another.

They will not forget!

I know, some things are out of your control. You might live closer to some. Focus on what you can control.

• You spend the same on all grandchildren
• You make the same effort for all the grandchildren
• You don’t spend any time thinking about why you like some less than others

Be Consistent

Being consistent helps build and maintain the relationship. Regular visits, FaceTime/Skype, and phone calls keep you connected with your grandchildren.

I am so fortunate to live an hour away from my granddaughters and I visit once a week. When I am getting ready to leave, my youngest granddaughter always asks when I am coming back. She wants to know the exact day and have a commitment from me that I will be there.

The timing and number of visits depends on your situation, the family situation, and your relationship with the parents.

Children love routines and things they can count on. I try to keep a regular afternoon for visits. If you live further away, you could have regular FaceTime, phone, or Skype visits.

Some of my grandparent friends watch the grandchildren once a week or pick them up from school.

You don’t have to have a schedule, but showing up consistently really helps build the bond.

Create “Special” Activities

These special occasions do not have to be anything big or expensive. In fact you can turn ordinary days or evenings into special activities by giving them “special” names.

One of our favorites is “Girl’s Night.” I used to go over once a week when my son-in-law worked late and play with the girls, visit with my daughter, and share dinner with them.

We called it “Girls’ Night” and that makes it sound fun and exciting even though we are following their exact evening routine.

Sometimes it’s “Special Time with Grammy.” Or “Crazy Dance Party.” It doesn’t matter what you plan or do, but giving it a special name makes it memorable to your grandchild.

The girls love to swing. We always try to get outside and swing at least once a day when I visit. We drag a big boom box out and the girls have a list of songs on a playlist on my phone that we play.

If you want ideas for activities, check out this post, Unforgettable Activities to do with Grandchildren.

That post has a lot of activities. Be sure and read the comments too to hear from lots of other grandparents!

Another fun thing we do is Movie Night. We put out a picnic blanket on the floor with plenty of pillows for the girls. Then their dad makes us all popcorn and whatever treat we want with that. Sometimes mom and I will have a glass of wine. It’s fun to find movies that three generations can watch together.

Create “Your Thing”

Creating “your thing” with a grandchild often happens spontaneously the first time.

After that, repeating it cements it into your grandchild’s life as something only you can provide. These often change as the child gets older.

At 2, my granddaughter loved to stand on a chair in the kitchen and “cook.” I put together safe fun activities that allowed her to measure, stir, and pour.

She used to love to be in my arms to dance when a certain song comes on. Now she has her favorite playlist of songs she loves to dance to.

These days, my now 5-year old granddaughter loves to do crafts. I keep a big box of crafty things so she can cut, color, and glue to her heart’s content!

At seven, my older granddaughter loved to play her  games on my iPad (that we picked out together), cuddle up near me to read a book, or have me go outside with her while she played.

Her “things” were often quiet and cuddly. Going to the library or bookstore and getting a couple of new books and finding a cool place to read is one of our favorite things.

She still loves to read and play video games!

Depending on your personality you can definitely jazz it up. I have a friend that is teaching her four-year old granddaughter to bake. Another plays in the pool with her granddaughters or does messy art with them.

Here are some ways to make your HOME irresistible to your grandchildren!

Get Silly With Them

I don’t know about you but I don’t often get the opportunity to straight up get silly. Being with young grandchildren is the perfect opportunity.

My girls love silly dancing and singing to music, play acting, telling jokes, using funny voices, and anything else you can think of that makes us all laugh.

At my sister’s home, they often play charades at family get-togethers.

Kids love funny faces, voices, and exaggeration.

Help Mom and Dad

Again, this will be unique to your situation and relationship. I help out with the kids when my daughter has a deadline or needs to get caught up. I like to babysit so she can have an evening out with her husband once in a while.

I remember with profound gratitude all the times my mom and mother-in-law watched my kids. I was only able to finish my graduate degree because of the help they provided.

Along with babysitting, my son-in-law’s mom, the other grandmother loves to keep the baby in diapers and both of the girls in cute clothes. She combines her “thing” shopping with keeping the girls dressed.

Value the Other Grandparents

Babies and children have enough love for everyone. It’s so tempting to want to be the “favorite” and shower your grandchild with gifts, clothes, and attention.

As a grandparent, of course you are going to do some special things with and for your grandchild, but do it out of a sense of purpose.

In our family the other grandmother loves to buy clothes and toys for the girls. I’m happy my grandchildren have such a generous and loving grandma.

I love to sit in their room and play Barbies or help them do crafts or art.

I love to sit and play with them and give them my time. It’s obvious that our grandchildren love all their grandparents. The kids don’t compare!

Share Family Traditions

My older granddaughter will sometimes ask me what Mom (my daughter) did when she was little. She loves to hear about how it was when her mom was young. We love passing on our traditions to her.

Our family is from West Virginia and even though she’s never been there, she knows how to sing Country Roads, knows how to do some Mountaineer cheers, and looks forward to the day when she’ll finally see West Virginia.

Here in Texas, we celebrate the holidays and make recipes that have been passed down for generations. I love having my family over for a meal and sitting down around the table that I sat around as a child.

I love serving favorite family foods that my mom served. We talk about the family that lives in faraway states.

Set Your Own Boundaries

Creating a relationship with your grandchildren may require setting your own boundaries.

• How much will you help out with babysitting?
• Will it be on a regular basis?
• How much will you spend on your grandchildren?
• How often will you travel and for what events?

Each of these questions requires thought and at times a conversation with the parents about their expectations.

Take Care of Yourself!

Finally, remember to take care of yourself. Now you have some special people in your life, it pays off big time to be fit, healthy, and energetic.

I love being able to lift my granddaughters, go for long walks, and dance like a crazy woman on occasion.

Eat right and exercise! And for goodness sake, if you have an addiction like smoking, please do whatever it takes to quit.

As much as your grandchildren are important to you, you are important to them! Keep yourself fit and healthy.

How to Be an Awesome Grandparent?

I love being a grandparent and I think I’m a great one most of the time.

Remember build and maintain the relationship with your own child and their spouse first.

Second, be yourself and bring your own special sauce to the relationship. Third, take great care of yourself!

Happy grand-parenting!

The post How to Be an Awesome Grandparent appeared first on My Think Big Life.

Your children have flown the nest for good! Here’s how to clean out your grown children’s room and declutter the stuff they left behind.

It’s hard to believe it’s been over 10 years since I cleaned out my grown children’s rooms. It really did seem like a huge deal at the time.

And it is to some extent. It is the end of one phase of your life and the beginning of a new one.

You have eyes on their rooms and the possibilities for them. Perhaps you can have a guest room, an office, a craft room, or an exercise studio?

But first you have to declutter the room your child used to live in!

You will have to be strong, my friend. This work isn’t easy but I’m going to talk you through it. I’ll give you a step-by-step process, emotional support, and the tools to make it easier.

Once upon a time, I lived in a 4,000-square foot house with a husband, three children, two dogs, and three cats! During those years, every single room, every single closet, every single cabinet, and every single drawer was packed full!

After the children moved away and it was obvious that no one was moving back, my husband and I began to think of moving into a smaller home—but we had a ton of stuff, including three bedrooms filled with all the kid’s stuff.

Didn’t they take anything with them???

They wisely, only took what they needed to college and afterwards, they really didn’t have any interest in much else as they created their own homes.

However, we were left with all their childhood mementos, old prom dresses, hundreds of trophies, and drawers and closets full of things they had collected as well as old playthings.

It was an overwhelming task to face to say the least!

However, I was determined to not take all this stuff with us or store it. Plus, I had ideas for those rooms!

How to Clean out Your Grown Children’s Room: Before You Start

Before you start, it’s good to know a few things about how to clean out your grown children’s room. It’s hard in ways that other decluttering isn’t. If you are prepared, you’ll be able to move through the process and get the job done efficiently.

Invite the kids to go through their own things first

Let them know, well ahead of time, that you are going to be cleaning out their rooms. Give them the opportunity to come over and take what they want.

However, don’t be surprised if they aren’t really interested.

My children weren’t. Maybe you’ll have better luck. This is super important though because at least you gave them the chance to get anything they want before you start cleaning.

I gave them plenty of notice, as well as occasionally checking with them about something. For the most part, they really didn’t care what I did with their old stuff. They had moved on.

Now it was time for me to move on!

Prepare for some emotions

Cleaning out a child’s room can be an emotional process. At least it was for me.

Every item in that room is something your beloved child used or wore. Even though your child is grown and has their own home, you still love the child they were.

As I write this, I think in particular about my middle child since she saved more things than the other two.

Her room was a museum of her entire life. I had to go through pretty much every toy she had ever loved and a big closet of clothes that she was never going to wear again.

But she also wasn’t interested in keeping any of it. So, I plunged in and made the choices about what to keep, donate, or trash myself.

Sometimes it was difficult to let things go. This was a part of her life and there were memories attached.

You still have to let things go. I’m giving you a way to keep very special things later in the post and that will help.

Give yourself plenty of time

Cleaning out any room will take time. Cleaning out your grown child’s room will definitely take extra time. Not only are you dealing with a big job, you will be reliving memories and good times. You will find things you didn’t know were there and find yourself hours later, still looking at those pictures or reading that book.

Or you might get overwhelmed and stop for a while.

Cleaning out a grown child’s room is a little like saying goodbye to them again! It definitely has an emotional aspect to the process. So, allow time for that.

In general, though, a weekend or two should do it. If it takes more time, that’s fine too. If you are having trouble with the time aspect and you are planning to use the room as a guest room—invite someone to come visit and then you’ll have a definite deadline. Or order your office furniture or exercise equipment.

Do one room at a time

I had three rooms to do, you may only have one or two.

Stay with this one room until it is done. You’ll make faster progress if you stick with one room. If you have more than one room to do, finishing one room will give you the motivation to do more. It truly will feel wonderful to have the room clean and decluttered.

Have one large storage container for each child

I bought a large plastic see-through bin for each child. Into this bin, I would put things that I thought were irreplaceable and that they would enjoy having at some point in their life.

While I did want to clean out their rooms, I didn’t want to clean out ALL their memories!

What you put into these bins depends on your child. You have to go with your gut at times. Here are some examples of things I kept for them:

• Old diaries
• Pictures of friends, photo albums
• Favorite books
• Books they had made
• Some schoolwork
• Report cards
• Post cards from grandparents
• Letters
• Favorite sports t-shirts

I used large bins so that I had room to keep plenty of things but not so much room that I wouldn’t have to edit. This seemed to work really well, in that I had a sense of keeping the “important stuff.”

Keep some favorite toys for potential grandchildren

My parents and my husband’s parents both had kept toys from our childhoods and my children LOVED playing with these when they visited the grandparents.

So, when I cleaned out my grown children’s rooms, I set aside some of the toys for future grandchildren. My granddaughters today, especially enjoy playing with all the old Barbie’s that my girls had.

I also kept many of their favorite books which I now keep on a bookshelf in the guest bedroom. There’s also quite a few Beanie Babies. The grandkids really enjoy these special things when they visit!

Supplies to Declutter a Room

• A large plastic bin dedicated to each child
• Boxes for items to donate
• Boxes for toys that you plan to store for future grandkids
• Trash bags for trash
• Marker to mark boxes
• Tape to seal boxes

How to Declutter a Room After A Child Leaves Home

So far, it’s only been fun and games! You know, thinking about how nice it will be to have that room cleaned out and ready to use as a guest room or perhaps an office or craft room.

The possibilities! But first you have to clean the darn thing out.

Pick a place to start in that room

Choose the closet or a chest of drawers. It doesn’t matter since you’ll be getting to all of it eventually.

My kids each had so much in their rooms. I started with closets since these were the most overwhelming. There will probably be clothes still in there. Most of these can go straight to the donation box or to trash.

This is harder than it sounds! For every piece of clothing, it seemed there was a precious memory attached. But I knew I simply couldn’t keep all those clothes left behind.

Pull things out and go through them. That’s why it’s helpful to have your bins, boxes, and trash bags ready.

Get rid of the easy stuff first

There will be plenty of stuff that doesn’t evoke strong feelings. Get rid of it first. You are working your decluttering muscles.

Depending on your child, there may be a ton of stuff or not too much. My middle child was a pack rat and she had so much stuff that she had collected and stored in her closet.

Throw away any trash. It was unbelievable to me, but there was actually a lot of trash mixed in with her things.

In addition to trash, there will be plenty of things that don’t have a sentimental attachment. Donate or sell them.

Take breaks as needed

I have found with decluttering projects that I would hit a point where I had to stop. Sometimes that would be for an hour, sometimes a few days.

Getting rid of stuff is hard!

You can tell that by the huge houses people buy and the explosion of storage units everywhere. People don’t like to edit their stuff.

Knowing that this is emotionally difficult can allow you to be kind to yourself. Sometimes it takes a little while for you to assimilate what you have cleared out. You might think you are done and can do no more.

Yet, with a little break, you will be able to come back and work on the job some more.

Know when you are done

Have an end goal in mind. For me, it was to remove all my children’s personal stuff. That might seem extreme but when my children moved out, they really had moved out.

Note: my case is a little different in that all three of my children lived about an hour away and they all lived either together or near each other. They didn’t need to come home for overnights.

However, even if your children are still visiting occasionally, you don’t have to keep entire rooms dedicated to each child. It’s okay to have them stay in a grown-up guest room or pull out bed in the office. They’ll be fine.

When You are Done Decluttering Your Grown Child’s Room

I know lots of people who keep their children’s room or stuff for years!

It’s really common, especially if you don’t move or have lots of space. However, eventually there will come a day when you need the space or you’re going to sell the home and you have to do it.

Being a parent has already meant saying goodbye so many times. You had to send them to school, then to college maybe, and then to their own place. Having their stuff around can feel comforting.

Yet, after you take this step, you will grow up a little. You’ll have really accepted that your children are grown ups and out of your house.

Even better you’ll have a sense of accomplishment and a less cluttered house! It really feels great to accomplish this!

The post How to Clean Out Your Grown Children’s Room appeared first on My Think Big Life.

Teaching children good manners and etiquette gives them a strong foundation for navigating their life successfully. The best way to teach your child manners is through shared activities.

Here are 7 fun activities that teach good manners to children and grandchildren. Our family is very informal and casual, so you won’t see anything too fancy. However, everyone down to the kids practices good manners.

Don’t be put off by the words “good manners.” We’re really talking about developing effective social skills which will be important in school, friendships, and careers.

Recently, the impact this has on my grandkids was demonstrated in a really cool way. My grandchildren are aged 6 to 16 and they absolutely love participating in all activities.

A couple of weeks ago, my whole family was out to dinner at a nice restaurant. At the point where dinner was over and they were considering dessert, the manager came over and asked my daughter if he could give my youngest granddaughter a free dessert.

As he explained to my daughter, her daughter, the six-year-old, was the best behaved child he had ever seen.

I think what had touched the staff was how she could order for herself, her kindness to each server or person on the staff, and that she was a full participant in the dinner.

Playful ways to teach kids manners are super effective because it’s not like teaching at all! You are using play and activities to create situations where a child has to naturally use manners.

I’m using activities that we all do, that are not only fun but will give you lots of opportunities to naturally demonstrate etiquette and manners.

Teaching Children Good Manners and Etiquette

Of course, you could tell your child or grandchild about manners or read a book to them about it. But like most things, we learn best by actually doing something.

There are so many ways to teach your child manners through shared activities.

To help with this, I’ve put together this list of 7 fun activities that teach good manners to children. The best part?

These will be fun for you too! As a grandparent, I love finding ways of sharing time with my grandchildren and creating memories with them.

These “teaching manners activities” while being fun and entertaining, also give your child or grandchild important life skills!

Why Manners are Important?

A well-behaved child is never out of style. I’m not talking about raising little robots who can’t think or act for themselves.

Good manners and etiquette knowledge give your child or grandchild CONFIDENCE. When they know how to act in any situation, they will feel more comfortable throughout life.

We often think that our children need more academics to make them successful. Yet, what most children need more of, are social skills that will help them be comfortable and connect with others.

Good manners are part of forming healthy social connections that will benefit your child or grandchild for life.

Whether your child is introverted, or extraverted, good manners can help them shine in social situations. They don’t have to figure out what to do—there are rules! Kids love structure and knowing what they are “supposed” to do. They really do. With enough practice, manners become second nature.

Fun Activities that Teach Good Manners to Children

When teaching children good manners and etiquette take the, any opportunity is a good opportunity approach. As a benefit, you’ll spiff up your own manners and etiquette.

Manners for Meals at Home

At home activities

• Setting the table correctly
• Using please and thank you
• All the basic table manners below.

Every meal doesn’t have to be formal of course, but it’s good to always practice good table manners at home. Do you remember them all?

• Wait until everyone is served to begin eating
• Put your napkin in your lap
• Please pass the…
• Thank others for passing you food
• Don’t talk with food in your mouth/Keep your mouth closed while chewing
• Don’t put your elbows on the table
• Don’t reach across someone or across the table
• No singing at the table (it was a rule at our house for some reason)
• Don’t interrupt someone who is talking
• No cell phones at the table (that includes adults too)
• Stay at the table until you are excused

To help children remember to mind their manners

Set the table with silverware and napkins and try to have meals together as often as possible. Set the standard for your table. Children are not born knowing table manners.

Sometimes it’s fun to not worry about manners but be sure and have a few dinners each month or even each week, where you focus on basic table manners. You’ll be glad you did.

Manners at a Restaurant

Eating out activities

• How to order food and treat servers
• How to use the silverware provided,
• what to do with the napkin,
• How to pay the bill, how to tip,
• How to have conversation,
• What to do instead of being on the phone

In a restaurant, it’s always a good idea to practice the basic table manners from above.

Eating out manners are important too. I’ll never forget a meal with new acquaintances.

Their child was on a tablet the entire time and the parents took turns hand-feeding him while he watched videos! I can’t even imagine what that is teaching a child.

Eating out is a great opportunity for children to learn and practice all kinds of manners. I love that my grandchildren (ages 6 to 16) know how to sit at the table, eat what they ordered, and participate in the family conversation.

No phones or tablets allowed for anyone!

In addition, by including children in meals out, they can observe how you talk to and treat your server and other wait staff. Our family addresses our servers by name, are respectful, and always tip well.

Your children and grandchildren are always watching you and will learn from your example. If you aren’t Teaching children good manners and etiquette, someone else is going to have to!

Children can learn to navigate the menu and order their own food once they can read. If you are out, encourage your children to try new things in addition to the kid’s menu.

Several years ago, I took a group of teens out to a nice lunch, so we could practice eating out manners. For some of those teens, they had never been out to a real restaurant and we had fun practicing restaurant etiquette.

When my son-in-law was in college, his business school taught him how to eat out and I remember him sharing what he had learned when we would eat out. We all improved!

How many times have you had to double-check, which water or bread plate was yours? Or which fork should you be using? Or wondered what to do with your napkin if you had to get up?

If you are unsure of some of these things, a quick Google search or some of the books listed below can get you up and running. For the purpose of this, post, I’m concentrating on kid-friendly activities.

Manners at a Live Show

At a performance tips

• Dressing appropriately
• Being quiet during a show
• Being thoughtful about the people in front of you and behind you

Don’t you wish everyone had these kinds of skills? How many times have you been at a movie or live show and the people behind you or in front of you have ruined it for you with talking, moving around a lot, or getting up and down excessively.

Teaching children good manners and etiquette by going to a live event or show is a wonderful way to show them how to behave in a way that lets them have a good time but also lets the people around them have a show. Plus it helps make you an unforgettable grandparent!

You can use these opportunities to talk about the appropriate kind of clothes to wear. For the most part, neat and clean works well for most events. If you’re doing a theater type show, dresses and dressier pants and shirts can be nice too.

This isn’t about just dressing up; it’s about getting the mindset that this activity is different than just hanging out at home and watching TV.

Talk about show manners ahead of time. Plan activities based on your child’s age. My 10-year old granddaughter can do a live show like a pro.

My 4-year old, struggled with a live show, not because she didn’t enjoy it but because it was just too long for her to sit still.

That was on me! The next time, I took her to a more age-appropriate show and she did great.

The basic things a child should know for live shows and theater movies:

Be quiet and be respectful of the people sitting around them. I’m a grown up and sometimes I get caught up in a show and want to talk to the person next to me. I’ve been shushed before!

So, it’s important to understand that children aren’t going to be perfect all the time. Being perfect isn’t the point—learning about how to behave is. This is all practice!

Manners at a Playground

Playground tips

• Taking your turn
• Introducing yourself to people
• Being friendly by smiling
• Saying hello.
• Making eye-contact with others

Yes, you can use the playground for playful ways to teach kids manners. Back in the day, playground was where we all learned many social skills. It’s still a great place to help your child learn etiquette and manners.

Since you’ll be there to monitor, you can keep an eye on things. Before you go, you can talk to your child about some things that will make the playground experience more fun.

My daughter has taught her daughter to say hi and introduce herself to other children. Most children long to play with other children.

It just takes one to get the play started. If your child masters this skill, they will have a leg up for the rest of their life!

Playgrounds are also a great place for learning to wait and to take your turn. Not only does your child at times need to wait and take a turn but at times they will have to assert themselves to get a turn.

If saying hi and introducing themselves is too much for your child, encourage them to make eye-contact and smile at others. Teach your kids to make friends easily.

Manners When Friends Come Over

Having friends over tips

• Extending an invitation
• Greeting guests
• Making sure everyone feels welcome
• Making sure everyone is included
• Sharing toys

Give playdates or having friends over more meaning. The way to get the most out of this activity is to go over a few things with your child first.

While you might normally do all these things, if you verbalize them, then your child or grandchild can internalize the importance.

No matter what fun activity you have planned, plan on having a few goals. Talk to your child about how they want to extend the invitation.

Are you going to call and talk to the parents? Will you send text or email? What do you want to say in the invitation?

Plan on how you will greet your guests. What do you say when you open the door? How will you make them feel welcome? What kinds of things will you say?

“It’s so nice to see you.”

“Thank you for coming, we really appreciate that you are here!”

“Please come in, let me show you where we will be playing.”

Also prepare your child to share their space and toys. If something is going to be off-limits, put it away ahead of time.

It can also be a good idea to have some things out and ready to go. But in general kids will figure out what they want to do. That’s half the fun!

Thank You Card Writing

Tips for writing thank you cards

• How to thank people and express gratitude for what others do
• How to write a thank you note
• How to create a personalized thank you

It’s never too early to learn to say thanks to someone for a gift they gave you or something nice they did.

When the next birthday or holiday comes around that your child receives gifts for, have a Thank You Card Writing Party.

If there are multiple cards to write, pick out a set of thank you cards to make it a little easier. Even if your child can’t write yet, they can dictate their own words to you and sign the card with their name, initial, or a scribble.

If your child can write, help them word their thanks. Remember, thank-you notes don’t have to be long, but they should be sincere.

If you are thanking someone for something nice they did, and your child only needs to do one card, nothing beats a homemade card from a child. Depending on the age, it may be a drawn picture, picture and some words, or an actual thank you note.

This is one of those activities that teach good manners and family and friends LOVE getting these things!

Acts of Caring for Another

Teaching kids to show care

• How to show caring and respect in appropriate ways
• The different types of life events for which you can show caring
• Why it’s important to show you care

Sometimes it is difficult to know the right things to say and do even for adults. Modeling this as an adult to a child will teach them ways to show they care to other people.

When someone is going through a tough time or a big event, it’s important to show some sign that you care.

This can be done through many ways: visiting, writing a sympathy or congratulations note, preparing a treat or meal to deliver, praying for someone, or making a phone call.

Include your child or grandchild in these types of things if you can. This teaches them actual things they can do for others when they are suffering or celebrating.

For Mother’s Day, I had my two older granddaughters come over and we made picture frames for their mom as a craft.

Earlier in the day we had taken pictures with all three granddaughters to go in them. The girls love making a special gift for their mom.

How to Teach Kids About Manners in a Playful Way

Have fun with teaching your child how to have manners and behave in all kinds of social situations. I believe that a basic understanding of etiquette and manners is essential to a child’s life and that they will appreciate you when they are older.

This isn’t school! Make it fun and learn together.

The post Fun Activities that Teach Good Manners to Children appeared first on My Think Big Life.

Here’s how to make the best homemade cinnamon rolls ever! These are better than any you can buy anywhere and I promise your family is going to love them.

I understand that making homemade dough can be intimidating but this post includes thorough instructions from me. In addition, so many readers asked questions in the comments that I also incorporated into the recipe and notes.

My grown children and grandchildren beg for me to make these and I’m happy to keep the tradition going until the next generation takes over.

Cinnamon Rolls Our Family Tradition

These are our family tradition for the holidays, especially Easter and Christmas.

These cinnamon rolls have been our family favorite for over 50 years! I can remember loving them so much when I was a child.

I know we had them for Christmas morning and my mom made these cinnamon rolls for the Palm Sunday bake sale every year. They were eagerly awaited and sold out immediately.

Fortunately for us, she always kept some for us to have. But these amazing cinnamon rolls aren’t just for holidays!

These homemade cinnamon rolls are an amazing treat anytime.

My grown children, beg me to make them and they are a hit with the grandchildren as well. I’m happy to keep the tradition going.

March 2023 Update: As Easter approaches, I am planning to make this traditional cinnamon roll recipe for my family. My grown children are in their 30’s and still crave this taste of their childhood.

There is also a printable recipe at the bottom.

Making these cinnamon rolls helps me feel connected with my own mom and grandmother who made them throughout my childhood. I’ve literally been eating these cinnamon rolls for 60 years!

These never get old! There are absolutely none out there that you can buy that are as delicious!

Don’t Be Afraid to Make Your Own Cinnamon Rolls

If making bread or rolls is something that has confused or intimidated you, then this post is for YOU. I’m going to walk you through the entire process. Also, there are lots of comments that can help too.

I was intimidated for years, until my mom insisted I learn how to do these myself. So, I practiced until I had it down. Then I decided to teach others.

Since I first put this post up, women have written to me with questions about the process. I in turn, have worked my answers into this post.

Hopefully, I have answered all your questions ahead of time!

Included in the post are detailed instructions, pictures, and a troubleshooting guide.

Many readers have left comments with questions too. Be sure to read through the comments as well.

For the most part though, I have tried to also answer those questions here in this post as they come up.

On a funny note, I would always watch the comments on the eve of the holidays since that was when most of the questions come up. In fact, I used to provide my email so readers could get their questions answered.

So, let’s all give some thanks to the readers that tried this recipe out and let us know where the problems could come up!

The Best Cinnamon Rolls

I promise, these rolls are so much better than any cinnamon rolls you will ever buy!

For over 60 years these have been a much-anticipated part of our family holidays and dinners. It is the most sentimental of all the recipes that I make.

In theory, they aren’t difficult. However, there are some things you have to do to make sure they turn out right.

I’m going to share all my tricks, tips, and hints that will ensure that every batch turns out great.

Since this post came out a years, I’ve received questions and emails as readers made the recipe. I’ve created a FAQ and trouble-shooting guide that is included at the bottom of the post.

My adult children and my grandchildren LOVE them!

This dough recipe has been handed down in our family for generations. My dad’s mom (my Grandmother) taught it to my mom and she has passed it down to her children and grandchildren.

You can also use this dough to make the BEST HOMEMADE DINNER ROLLS.

Because of this recipe, my daughter and I started a blog called Granny’s in the Kitchen to preserve all our favorite and traditional recipes.

As a child, this was my favorite thing my mom ever made! It wasn’t something she did often, but she did make them for holidays, Christmas and always for Easter. It was an eagerly awaited contribution to any bake sale!

For years, I was afraid to make these rolls, thinking that they were too complicated or hard to do.

Finally, my mom had, had enough, and insisted that I learn to make them myself. She wouldn’t take no for an answer!

Once I mastered how to make the dough, I realized she was right, they weren’t that hard, but you had to allow enough time and make sure the dough was put together correctly.

My adult children LOVE these cinnamon rolls and it was for them that I decided to make them as a gift.

As you read the instructions, you’ll understand that it really is a gift of love when you make the best homemade cinnamon rolls ever.

Before You Start Making Cinnamon Rolls

Gather all the ingredients for the recipe. There are no optional ingredients in this recipe.

Also, if you get stuck in the middle of this recipe– check out FAQs at the bottom of post!

Each ingredient is essential to the outcome.This dough recipe uses common ingredients that most of us have on hand and even if you have to buy them, they are really inexpensive.

Read through the directions. You have to do things in order and have things at the right temperature.

Allow enough TIME, these take about five hours total. However, you aren’t working the entire time.

There are two periods of time, where the dough has to rise. I’ve provided approximate times but the temperature in your kitchen, your elevation, or even the humidity can all affect rising times.

Have the right equipment. You’ll need a large bowl, , a couple of small bowls, a medium sauce pan, and a hand-mixer.

In addition, you’ll need a heavy wooden spoon or spatula, measuring cups and spoons, and rolling pin (or in my case a wine bottle.

Ingredients for Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

• 2 packages of regular dry yeast (or 4 1/2 teaspoons)
• ¼ cup of warm water
• I stick of butter, melted + 1 stick to melt later (2 sticks at least)
• ½ cup of sugar for dough + 2 cups for inside the rolls
• 1 cup of milk, warmed + 2 TB for icing
• 1 tsp salt. Less if you use salted butter
• 1 cup of cold water
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 7 cups of flour (may be a little more or less)
• 2-3 TB light olive oil or melted butter or ghee
• 1/4 cup or more of ground cinnamon
• Confectioners sugar (have a pound or two ready)

Temperatures

You’ll see from the ingredients that some things are warm and cool. You want the whole thing ending up as a little bit warm to get the yeast going, but not hot enough to kill it. It’s better to err on being too cool as too hot.

Dead yeast will keep your rolls from rising and being fluffy. If everything is too cool, it will simply take longer to get the dough risen but eventually it will get where it needs to be.

Instructions for Making Cinnamon Rolls

I just use one bowl, usually the biggest bowl I have on hand. I prefer my big old yellow Pyrex bowl but today I had to use a stainless-steel bowl.

In a small glass bowl, I combine the yeast with the ¼ cup of warm water and set aside.

In big bowl, I add the melted butter and sugar, and salt. Then I add the beaten eggs, warmed milk, and 1 cup of water.

To this I add the yeast and water. With my hand-mixer on low, I gently combine all these ingredients.

Adding the Flour

The recipe calls for about 7 cups of flour. I add about 3 or 4 cups of flour to the wet ingredients. I mix, on low, the flour into the wet ingredients until it is smooth and sticky.

Don’t add so much your mixer starts making sounds like it is struggling. You want it to mix fairly easily.

When it is very smooth and a little shiny, you can put your mixer aside.

Now you’ll add the rest of the flour by hand. I usually add the next two cups, a cup at a time. I mix them with a sturdy spoon until they are worked in.

Then I start adding flour by ½ cups. The dough will start forming a ball but will be rough.

At some point, you are going to have to use your hands. I put the dough on a smooth surface and start working flour in, a little at a time. Put your bowl in the sink and run some water in it.

Your dough will stick some to your hands, but it shouldn’t be a gloppy mess. Add flour, until the dough holds together, and you can form a fairly smooth ball.

Now, go rinse out your bowl and dry it. Add a few tablespoons of light olive oil or some melted better or ghee. Take your ball of dough and put it into the bowl, turning it over and around until it is coated with oil.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and set aside.

After the dough is doubled in size, you push in down with your hands and make it a smaller ball again. At this point, I divide the dough in half to work with.

You divide the dough in half and make two rectangles as follows.

I just roll my dough on my counter top–well cleaned of course. I found myself without a rolling pin and used a full wine bottle and it worked great. Even better than a rolling pin!

Once the dough is rolled out to a rectangle, about 12 X 16, I pour melted butter all over. You want it all over but not too heavy.

Then I sprinkle about 1 cup of sugar all over. On top of that, I sprinkle lots of cinnamon. It looks like a LOT at this point, but once they rise and bake, you’ll be glad you used plenty.

Now it’s time to roll the dough. Gently life the dough along the long side facing you and roll it up into a long roll.

Once you have the dough in long rolls, you can cut it with a sharp knife into individual rolls about an inch and a half wide.

I like to use, 8-inch cake pans and put six or seven in each pan. You need to leave plenty of room between the rolls because they are going to get bigger.

Let the rolls, sit out covered with plastic wrap for another hour and a half. If they are rising faster, the time might be less. If they are slow, give them more time.

Once they have filled out and up, it’s time to bake. Preheat oven to 375.

Bake until the rolls are light brown–like the picture. That’s about 20 minutes.

As soon as they are out of the oven, you have to whip up the icing. It’s super easy. You have to get this icing on while the rolls are hot!

Melt a little butter in a pan. Then pour in a couple of cups of confectioners sugar. Add milk just a couple of tablespoons at a time as you whisk it.

When it is smooth and pourable, drizzle it all over the cinnamon rolls. I like to cover every single bit of roll and down any crevices.

That’s all there is to it!

A mere five hours and you have the most amazing cinnamon rolls ever! Grammy made and grandkid approved! (Create GREAT memories so they will never forget you–How to Be an Unforgettable Grandparent)

FAQs and Trouble-Shooting

Here are the common questions that I receive about making these rolls.

How many cinnamon rolls does the recipe make?

This recipe makes about 24 cinnamon rolls. If you halve the recipe it makes 12. The rolls can be frozen once they are done.

Can you use this recipe for dinner rolls?

Actually no one has ever asked me this! But I’ve included this for any of you that made it here. This recipe makes the most delicious dinner rolls ever!

I have wonderful memories of my grandmother bringing big, beautiful cloverleaf rolls to family dinners. My grown kids still beg me to make them for holiday dinners!

Can you halve the recipe?

Yes, you can. In fact, I was talking to my mom recently and she had just read the post.

She told me that the original recipe was half of what I had posted. She had doubled the original recipe to get the one you see here.

Can you freeze the rolls?

Absolutely. That is one of the great things about making the entire recipe. It’s a lot of work. But when the rolls are completely cooled, you can freeze them!

Wrap the cooled rolls in plastic wrap and then tuck them into a freezer bag.

Can you put the rising dough in the refrigerator?

Yes, you have two times when you can refrigerate the dough. This allows you to make the dough ahead of time, such as the evening before and then complete the process the next morning.

Great for having hot cinnamon rolls for breakfast!

The first way you can prepare ahead of time, is completely the recipe until you get the big ball of dough. You can put the dough ball in the refrigerator overnight and then complete the rest the next day.

You can also put the dough, once it’s been make into the rolls and put in pans into the refrigerator overnight. The next morning, take the pans out and let the rolls rise then bake.

However, the rising times will be much longer. I’ve done it both ways and I think it’s easier to just do them all the same day.

The post How to Make the Best Cinnamon Rolls Ever appeared first on My Think Big Life.

Can being a grandparent help you live longer?

As if there aren’t enough great reasons for spending time with your grandchildren, multiple studies show that there are measurable health benefits for spending time with and helping care for grandchildren.

It seems that being a grandparent can help you live longer too!

Is it possible? Can being a grandparent really help you live longer?

Research Supports This

I’ve been seeing things that say this for a while. From what I can tell, it’s all based on one study, that came out a number of years ago and it’s continued since its initial findings.

It was a legit study and it did show some significant differences between grandparents that provided some care to grandchildren (or others) and between grandparents that didn’t spend time caring for others.

However, there is a lot of research that points to the health benefits of being connected to others in positive relationships. I’ve seen some research that having strong relationships is the MOST important health practice you can have!

These relationships include family, friends, and our community. Social connections are important!

Being a grandparent, per se, isn’t what makes it healthy. Being an involved, connected grandparent is where you reap the benefits!

How Important Are Your Positive Relationships?

Very. There are many studies that show the value of positive relationships on our health and on our life expectancy. Some studies say that not having strong connections is as harmful as smoking or alcoholism.

Spending time in a relationship with your grandchildren can help boost your health! It doesn’t just feel good to you; it is good for you.

This is important. Modern living is more isolated. Fewer people live in the communities where they grew up, people put off marriage longer, and there are way more single resident households than ever before.

As we all know, at times it seems much harder to build social connections in our fast-paced world.

What is a Healthy Positive Relationship?

The simple answer is a healthy relationship is generally positive for the people in it.

You spend time with each other. In a healthy relationship, you feel cared for and you care for the other person. You feel connected to the other person.

Time is important. All relationships require a time commitment.

The Berlin study that showed that grandparents who actually spent time taking care of grandchildren, lived on average five years longer than grandparents who didn’t care for grandchildren.

By committing to time with grandchildren you commit to having an actual relationship.

Being a Grandparent Allows You to Express Lots of LOVE

Relationships require us to put energy into something that is bigger than ourselves. While we all love being cared for ourselves, it’s good for us to care about someone else.

I find it easier to pour love into grandchildren. They soak it up like it is their purpose on earth.

For instance, grandchildren accept multiple “I love you’s, hugs, and other signs of affection. I have lots of friends who enjoy this in moderation but would totally think I was weird if I showed as much affection to them as I do for my grandchildren.

When my own children were young, I recognized how important this was. It was so healing for me to have people in my life that accepted all my love.

This is important, we don’t need to just get unconditional love, we need to be able to give it too!

Unfortunately, many adults just can’t receive it like that. Grandchildren can. You just can’t love on them too much.

Being an Active Grandparent Builds Intergenerational Connections

I recently read the book, The Blue Zones. The author studied and spent time with small populations that had larger than average populations of people that lived past 100.

One thing in common among these centenarians, was that they either lived with or near their extended families. As an example,, they had access to their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, etc. They were active parts of their families.

As grandparents, we not only spend time with our grandchildren, but we spend time with our children. If we take part in and host family events or continuing family traditions, we create connections that cross the generations and build an interconnected family.

While, these days we usually don’t all live in the same house or even the same neighborhood, we can reap some of these benefits by doing things with multi-generations.

We can do this by celebrating holidays and special occasions together. Families can gather for vacations together. You can create amazing memories!

Grandchildren Can Help Us Take Better Care of Ourselves

I hope to be around to see my grandchildren grow up. Part of this means more than wishing. Eating healthy, exercising, and finding other ways of taking care of myself are important. I don’t want to just live a long life; I want to live an active engaged life.

Being active means, I can take part in more things. Recently, we did a family trip to Disney Land. There was so much walking involved! It was also fun to be the adults in the group that would also do the scary, wet ride as many times as my granddaughter wanted.

For example, because I stay active, I have been able to take walks with the girls, go roller skating, take them to the park. In the future I hope to introduce them to hiking, bike riding, and other active things. Sharing healthy activities now and in the future motivates me to take the very best care of myself.

That doesn’t mean you have to be able to do all this—but it definitely expands the things you can do with your grandchildren for more of your life.

Grandchildren Can Help Us Feel Connected to Their Generation

Being a grandparent is ideally just one of your social connections. Yet, any positive social connection is good for you and I can’t think of any that I enjoy quite as much as with my grandchildren.

By being with my grandchildren, I feel just more connected. Because they are a couple of generations behind me, they help me feel connected to younger people in general. It’s easy to think that younger generations are different or that the world is falling apart.

When I see my grandchildren and see that they are smart, caring, and ambitious, it helps me feel positive about the future. As a result, I feel connected to this generation because of my grandchildren. I hope conversely that their relationship with me, helps them feel connected to my generation as well.

Grandchildren Can Help Us Feel Younger

When I first heard I was going to be a grandmother, I wasn’t sure how that would feel. I remember my grandmothers as being old to me. And telling people I was a grandmother made me feel a little old.

Yet, the truth and the way it turned out was that by spending time with my grandchildren, I actually feel younger. I get to do so many things that I used to feel too old to do. Entering the world of a child is magic. As a grandparent, you get to play, you get to talk about your favorite books, you get to go to parks. You get to act silly.

Can Grandchildren Help You Live Longer?

There is evidence that grandchildren can help you be healthier and live longer. More important than the actual years is how much you enjoy the years.

For myself, being an active part of my grandchildren’s lives has made the past six years some of the best of my life.

Not only that, but they give me something to live for. Certainly, it’s not the only thing but it is an important thing. This connection is a vital part of my overall social life and one that is very different than all the others.

Enjoy those grandkids and enjoy the health benefits as well!

The post Can Being a Grandparent Help You Live Longer? appeared first on My Think Big Life.