Retirement is great. For many, it is the first chance, in a very long time, that you have time for some real “me time.” That said, once the honeymoon is over, you might find that you want to do something more important than playing bridge or meeting on the golf course.
Now is the time to reach out, to find innovative ways to close that generation gap that you have been complaining about. This has nothing to do with providing a home for your adult children or buying expensive gifts to make your presence known. I
Children are the future, and being able to help them meet the challenges that they will be facing is not only an obligation but a privilege. Babysitting is nice but it isn’t everything, unless you figure out little ways to sneak in some quality “educational time,” you are just another warm body.
You may not have the time, or the energy, to attend all the little league games, or even keep the cookie jar filled, but you can contribute to the intellectual/educational wellbeing of the next generations.
Forget about high-tech toys. The greatest gift a grandparent can give is to instill a love of reading. Family members, which includes you, are the first educators in a child’s life and it is good to get involved.
Do not send expensive presents and then complain because you didn’t get a thank you note. Think books. Think reading. In this day and age it is possible, even for long-distance grandparents. to connect with young children. Arrange a daily or weekly time to connect and read together via Skype, Zoom or Facetime if necessary. Buy two copies of books, one for them and one for you. Read together. The media promotes merchandise, expensive toys, resources, and interactive screens, but they lose sight of the importance of family interaction.
There is nothing more important than encouraging a lifelong love of reading. Time and love are the best gifts you can give a child…. interacting, reciting rhymes, counting, singing, reading, or just talking
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