by Dr. Ken Canfield
One of the privileges of grandparenting is sharing what we’ve learned about life with our grandchildren. But sometimes the exchange goes both ways — that’s when it gets really interesting.
A few years ago I sat next to a 29-year-old man named James on a flight, and we spent the entire trip discussing his work and his life story. What fascinated me most was what James had learned from his 83-year-old grandfather. Their point of connection was finances and investing.
His grandfather was a retired accountant, and during their limited but significant time together as James was growing up, he taught James about “value investing” — buying stock or investing in companies that appear undervalued but have a solid track record of earnings and steady growth over the long haul.
After earning a college degree in economics, James found a job and kept applying what his grandfather had taught him. After some years, James became a leader in his company, heading their investments in new technologies and currencies.
Naturally, he kept telling his grandfather about his career developments whenever they talked. For his job, James needed to stay on the cutting edge of investing strategies, and much of it was foreign to his grandfather. He listened and asked James questions but struggled to completely understand.
Nevertheless, because of their history together and the trust they had built through the years, James’ grandfather decided to invest in this new enterprise. So far, it’s been a great decision — that investment has been a winner. This elderly saver learned some new insights, but best of all it gave him a chance to keep up with what his grandson was doing.
Value Investing in Your Grandchildren
I appreciate James’ story because it demonstrates a grandparent finding a way to share his life and his wisdom with a grandchild. Many times, our hobbies and interests can be passed on like this, and sometimes they ignite a passion or even turn into a career. It could be anything — music, gardening, woodworking, cooking, even how to balance a checkbook. The subject matters, but the time spent together and the wisdom passed along matter even more.
I also like the idea of “value investing” applied to our role as grandparents. When we invest in our grandchildren by teaching them what we have learned about life — even sharing our mistakes with them — we make deposits in their future.
Find something of common interest with your grandchild and share what you know about it. Or ask if they’d like to learn about something you’re interested in that’s new to them. Share a misstep you’ve made in life and what you learned from it. You might say, “Maybe this will help you if you’re in a similar situation.”
Those investments we make today — especially deposits that are relational, emotional, and spiritual — will yield incredible long-term benefits. And it’s a privilege when we get to see how those investments grow and mature over time, even if they don’t produce the exact benefits we expected.
Learning from Your Grandchildren
Here’s the other side of this: sometimes our grandchildren invest in us.
Ask your grandchild about something in their life that’s unfamiliar to you and listen carefully as they explain. You may not fully understand what they’re doing, but your willingness to learn communicates something powerful. And sometimes, like James’ grandfather, you may decide to take a risk on them simply because you believe in their long-term future. It’s a step of faith to exercise that kind of trust, but it’s one today’s grandparents can take.
Invest Wisely
Whatever your situation may be with your grandchildren, be wise by sharing your life, learning, and love with them. Focus on communicating a few simple truths that have made a difference in your life and helped make you who you are. Be lavish with your encouragement — express your love and tell your grandchildren you believe they will do good and great things.
And stay open to what they might teach you in return.
What’s something you’ve learned from one of your grandchildren? Share your story on our Facebook page here.
