National Grandparents Day
Recognizing the vital role that grandparents can play in the lives of their children and grandchildren, then-President Jimmy Carter signed a document on August 3, 1978 instituting National Grandparents Day.
Celebrated on the first Sunday after Labor Day in September, the day is intended “... to honor grandparents, to give grandparents an opportunity to show love for their children’s children, and to help children become aware of strength, information, and guidance older people can offer.”
Grandparents can love and coddle and cure in a way that most parents cannot because they have the advantage of hindsight, knowing full well how quickly time passes and how even the craziest of moments are to be cherished. Grandparents can serve as an immense support to the modern family, often filling a void when work obligations tie up busy moms and dads. From cheering at T-ball games, to imparting life lessons and treasured traditions, there are many ways that grandparents provide a necessary strand in the family fabric.
Facts and Figures
According to the site Grandparents.com, a staggering 70 million Americans are currently grandparents, with 1.7 million new grandparents added to the ranks each year. Of those people surveyed, 70 percent say that being a grandparent is the single most important and satisfying thing in their life.
For some folks who should be fully immersed in their golden years, the role of grandparent has become a full-time venture. Grandparents.com estimates that 72 percent of grandparents take care of their grandchildren on a regular basis and 13 percent serve as primary caregivers.
Grandparents as Caregivers
When Teri Mahaney assumed caregiver responsibilities of her grandson, young Tyler was in need of special support. Mahaney, a personal and life coach who provides tools for reprogramming the subconscious mind for a happier, healthier life, says that caring for Tyler involved putting all of her know-how to work.
“[Taking care of Tyler] has meant that I have had to walk my talk. From that standpoint, it has been a challenge, but also very gratifying to see him doing so well in school. He loves basketball, loves the outdoors and gardening. He is a great kid,” says Mahaney.
While some may have been reticent to take on the added responsibility of a child at a time when a quiet retirement beckoned, Mahaney had no doubts about taking Tyler.
“I have a plunge-in, fools-rush-in type of personality, so I hardly gave it a second thought. My attitude was, ‘I have no idea, but let’s play.’ I had the time and the energy to support some dramatic changes,” Mahaney says.
For Mahaney, the results have been remarkable. “Tyler is one of my best companions. He is a courageous boy, very active and healthy, extremely intuitive,” she says, adding that caring for her grandson has touched her in ways that she could not have imagined and proved a real blessing.
Mahaney says, “When Tyler, who is biracial, first came to me, he said, ‘We don’t match. I am brown and you are white.’ I responded to him by saying, ‘Tyler, we match in our hearts and that’s the only place that matters.’
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Kerri S. Mabee is a freelance writer and regular contributor to San Diego Family Magazine.
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