I’ve often felt that there’s something wonderful about families that pepper their conversations with a special vocabulary all their own. Shared experiences create shared memories, often giving rise to a unique, intimate “family language.” Their telegraphic little buzzwords, sayings and mottos sometimes link several generations of treasured family lore. Here are a few that people…
DetailsPlease don’t tell my parents, but… I never asked my adult children or their spouses, “If your child asked me not to tell you something, what do you want me to say?” I did not ask because I would never agree to do that. I wouldn’t do it, because I wouldn’t want to jeopardize the…
Details(Stock photo by Matlachu on Pixaby) A PRICELESS SMILE I found the following essay in August 2003, while cleaning out my grandmother’s apartment in Florida after she passed away at the age of 93. I had attached a note saying: “Dear Grandma, I wrote this for my camp application in response to the question: “Who is your hero…
DetailsRegine Schlesinger‘s interview on WBBM Radio aired today. A grandma herself, Schlesinger talked to author Jerry Witkovsky about how grandparents can enter their grandhild’s world. Listen to the story here. Hear author Jerry Witkovsky talk about Grandparenting, how to find out more about what happens at your grandchild’s school. Learn more about the Grandparents Connection…
DetailsIf you are a new or first-time grandparent, you’re in good company. According to the 2011 MetLife Report on American Grandparents, one in four American adults is a grandparent; by the year 2020, that number will rise to one in three – or 65 million Americans. No doubt you’re thrilled to be called Grandma or…
DetailsThrough the many years that I’ve been listening to grandparents share their hopes and dreams, their regrets and fears, the word “legacy” is one that comes up over and over. It’s a word that carries much weight and many meanings. Most of us, of course, are concerned about our legacy in its most tangible manifestation:…
DetailsLooking for that special gift for Grandparents who have it all? As part of his book The Grandest Love – Inspiring the Grandparent-Grandchildren Connection local Grandparenting expert Jerry Witkovsky, collected 30 letters from grandchildren of all ages and backgrounds, asking them to share what they had learned from a grandparent. Witkovsky suggests a personal letter…
DetailsA study abroad semester in Spain is one example of a Living Legacy Foundation sponsored project. Stock photo credit The LEAF Project on Flickr. During my many heartfelt discussions with grandparents about their legacies (financial and otherwise), something always nagged at me. Virtually all those discussion began with somebody declaring solemnly, “After I die…” as…
DetailsAs part of my book, The Grandest Love: Inspiring the Grandparent-Grandchild Connection, I collected 30 letters from grandchildren of all ages and backgrounds, asking them to share what they had learned from a grandparent. I was fortunate to include my own grandchildren in the process. Here’s a letter from my granddauther Kathryn (always Katie to…
DetailsStock photo credit: tsny los angeles on Flickr There’s no question that human beings possess an innate pull towards independent action, individuality, and self-determination, and that it is critical that each of us acquire the skills and the confidence to live successfully on our own and transmit those values to the next generations. I don’t…
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