Be Ready to Tell Them the Truth & Show Them Their Value

It only takes a couple minutes of listening to the evening news to know the world in which our loved grandchildren are growing up is significantly different than it was when we were growing up. Those minutes of the evening news give us an idea of what it may have been like for Noah in the world in which he lived.

They Bring Joy & Light

As grandmas (grandpas and parents, too) we know the joy our grandchildren bring to our lives. It began when we first learned they were on their way and became firmly cemented as part of our lives at our first glimpse of their sweet little faces. Grandchildren are absolutely gifts from the hand of God.

One of Our Most Important Responsibilities

As a grandma (and grandpa/parent) we have many responsibilities in regards to the children we love. We are responsible to provide a safe, healthy, loving environment in which they are able to grow. We are responsible to hand down the faith. And we are responsible to help them see themselves as people who have incredible value, and worth.

Make Sure They Know

If our grandchildren are not very young, they know there are a lot of people in the world. They also understand there have been a lot of people who have lived in this world before them. They may feel insignificant in the big scheme of things - especially if they are taught at home or school there is no God and they are just an accident of evolution. But, this is not the truth - for many reasons. God intentionally designed and created them . . . they are unique, precious, and amazing. God has created, and continues to create them to be a special one-of-a-kind person. Someone who is unlike anyone else who has ever lived, and who ever will live. God is absolutely busy making them someone no one else has ever been!

45 Ways to Praise a Child

One of the resources in the NIV Mom's Devotional Bible, is the "101 Ways to Praise a Child", so . . . since any day seems like a great opportunity to encourage a grandchild, I thought I'd share some of my personal favorite ways to praise a grandchild with you today! 

The "Role" of Grandma - Become a "Student" of Your Grandchildren

When I think about the "role" of grandma, I do believe it is essential for me to become a "student" of my grandchildren. It is my job, my "role" to get to know them and what makes them "tick".

This matters so much, for several reasons. Consider the following . . . 

Have Fun & Make Sure They Remember

In one week and a couple days, my husband and I will be holding our yearly "Days of Fun" with our grandsons. For three days we will tie-dye t-shirts, have fun with some seriously crazy science projects, considering building a water-balloon cannon and then having a day of water wars, make a trip to the candy store (my grandsons only choose one thing - we have to encourage them to choose a couple!), and have a lot of fun together!