Nanny and Grampa. Mimi and Pop-Pop. MawMaw and PawPaw. No matter how the kids address them, one thing is for sure, Grandma and Grandpa are heroes. From our INSP family to yours, happy Grandparents Day today and everyday.
So maybe you knocked over a lamp when you were roughhousing with your brother. Or maybe that ink stain won’t wash out of the tablecloth. Yes, Grandma might be disappointed, and you know Grandpa will impart some kind of lesson, but nothing will keep them from loving their grandkids.
And we don’t mean just the silly ones, like the time Uncle Lou grabbed the turkey leg on Thanksgiving like a microphone, and started singing Elvis tunes! Grandma and Grandpa pass on the family history. The tales of their beginnings inform who we are and who we can be for generations to come—Uncle Lou, too!
Yes, Nanny and Gramps didn’t get to be the age they are without learning a thing or two—probably the hard way! Their advice comes from experience and with a whole lot of love.
Mom and Dad may say lights out at seven, or no sweets allowed, but MawMaw and PawPaw tend to have a completely different playbook from the one they used when they were just parents. Which leads us to…
Late night movies with popcorn slathered in butter! Ice cream sandwiches, pillow forts and laughing super loud at Pop-Pop’s goofy jokes. It’s like summer camp, an amusement park, and a rock concert all rolled up in one.
A big bucket of fat chalk in lots of pastel colors, and a nice smooth driveway—and art happens! Dressing up in sheer, fringed scarves and big, floppy hats—and theater happens! Grandmas and Grandpas delight in their grandchildren’s creativity.
Nana and Poppy can bring a book to life with an exciting dramatic reading—and if the kids are really lucky, Poppy will do his silly voices!
Gramps is probably not going to slide into home, and Granny is most likely not going to race to return that backhand shot the way they used to, but they’re up for a game of catch, cards or a board game—maybe even a video game. And they’re not cutting anybody any slack! So be on your toes!
Mimi and Pop-Pop have been there and done that! They raised their kids to become fine adults, and have experienced all the joys and worries of being parents. Now it’s time to let loose and relax! That means more fun with the grandkids! Whether it’s doing crafts (Yay! Glitter everywhere!) or baking cookies (Yay! Flour everywhere!), grandparents have the awesome responsibility of simply being there, being silly and loving their grandchildren with all their hearts.
Don’t let anyone fool you; grandparents are tech savvy! Even if Granny and Grandpops live in another town or another state, video chats, phone calls and texts keep the family together—until they see each other in person, again.