After the events of this past Saturday—the assassination attempt and senseless death and injury of bystanders—we have one more reason to say, What’s this world coming to? Sadly, we’re getting used to these kinds of things.
As we grandparents enter the latter stages of life, it’s natural to wonder what life will be like for our grandchildren twenty or thirty years from now. In many ways, it seems bad enough already with all the violence, disasters, social unrest, and health concerns we’ve seen in recent years.
We might be shocked and appalled and long for simpler days of the past. We can (and should) pray. Some of us might want to hide out, avoid the news, and try not to think about all the negative signs. All of those are understandable, but …
How should we respond as grandparents?
If we believe we have an important role to play and we make a difference in our grandkids’ lives, as we should, then maybe these challenges are good times to find positive actions we can take as part of our continuing efforts to build up our grandkids and help prepare them for the future—whatever that future may look like.
How can we do that? Here are a few ideas that we’d all be wise to implement all the time, but are especially relevant in times of crisis:
Be a source of comfort.
Your grandkids should feel secure when they’re with you, and that’s more than simply feeling safe. It probably means lots of hugs and encouragement, but it’s also a general atmosphere of acceptance. They know what to expect from you, and it’s warm and affirming for them. When the world feels threatening or unpredictable, they can rely on you to be a source of comfort.
Share your perspective.
We’ve written about this, but it bears repeating. You have a lot of life experience; you’ve lived through many changes and times of unrest during your years. That qualifies you to talk about events in the past that gave you similar feelings, but you and many others persevered and grew through the trials. Maybe those times taught you or reinforced certain life lessons that have been valuable to you ever since. Talk with your grandkids about how they can apply those lessons today.
Maintain positive routines.
Part of comforting your grandkids is continuing to do what you always have—especially as it relates to them. Stay involved in their lives as much as you can. Show them how special they are to you. Laugh and play games together. Keep showing them lots of love in many ways. Remind them with words and actions that there are still a lot of good things happening in their world.
What have your interactions been like with your grands after a tragedy in the news? What have you learned as a grandparent? Share some thoughts with other grandparents on our Facebook page.
.
.
