by Dr. Ken Canfield
Grandparents, here’s a simple yet profound truth for you:
Good grandparents connect with other grandparents.
That may sound obvious to you, but I can’t stress it enough. We all need close relationships with others who are in similar situations, who are committed to their families and effective in their role.
For many, grandparenting is a reason for joy and celebration. But for some, there’s a lot of pain in that role because of distance or estrangement or loss. And quite a few grandparents feel isolated in that pain. That isn’t a reason to feel ashamed or embarrassed; we all need support sometimes.
That’s why it’s so important to lean on each other. Whatever you might be working through, I think you’d be surprised at how many other grandparents nearby are going through a similar situation, and talking with him or her will give you a head start. And that support and sense of community can be a huge encouragement for you.
We all do better when we have friends who believe in us, who are willing to listen, and who will challenge our thinking when necessary. I believe grandparenting is too important a job for any of us to go it alone; we can learn from each other and share our struggles as grandparents.
We must depend on each other and develop a sense of teamwork.
So reach out for that connection with other grandparents. Going online can help, but it works even better in person. We need to depend on each other.
One great opportunity for this is at the annual Legacy Coalition Grandparenting Summit. It’s a national conference for Christian grandparents where you can receive wisdom and find connection with other like-minded grandparents. There’s a live event as well as a simulcast and options to view it online. Find out more here.
How do you regularly connect with other grandparents? One place to start is our Facebook page here.
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