As summer arrives, our grandkids’ routines will change. They might have more unstructured time, and that could be an opportunity for more time with us! So here’s a short reminder and a few suggestions.
We need to be intentional about getting together with them and investing in them during the coming weeks.
That can include texts and calls, afternoon outings, trips to the ice cream shop, and wherever our imagination (and theirs) may take us. And for many families, summer is also a great time for sleepovers with us or weekends together. As caring grandparents, we bring benefits to our grandkids’ lives – and their parents’ lives – simply through our involvement.
One couple intentionally took it a few steps further. Out of all the positive ways to invest that time with their grandkids, they also wanted to strengthen extended family ties. So, they began scheduling cousins’ weekends at their house, with no parents allowed. Of course, depending on how many cousins there are, this could get rather involved. But it is a great idea with some real benefits:
You bless their parents.
To you, it might feel like a side benefit, but it might be even more important than your time with your grandkids. Keeping your grandkids for the weekend is an investment in healthy marriages for their parents. They probably don’t get away together as often as they would like to and would surely be greatly appreciative of that time away without their kids.
You bond with the grandkids.
Yes, it can be a busy, maybe even chaotic weekend at times, but you’re also creating memories that they’ll remember for the rest of their lives. By all means, plan some fun events and treats, but also leave some unstructured time to just be together. Take walks. Play board games. Cook meals together. Do what you can to make it special, but also remember that it will be special because you’re together.
You foster cousin connections.
Sometimes those relationships develop naturally, especially when they’re young. As the years pass, they might find their own interests, or maybe they don’t live close to each other, and they may not spend as much time together. If you value those extended family bonds, help create opportunities for them to be together. It could help them strengthen friendships that last for many years.
I encourage you to take the initiative and pick a weekend … or longer. Be flexible and make enough arrangements so it’s easy for everyone involved. Some incredible interactions can happen during that weekend at your house, and you’ll be making important and possibly life-changing investments.
