To me, grandparents represent a connection that lives inside you like an exhibit. Not solely to fill a role as a quasi-parent but to show others the beauty of a shared intergenerational relationship. I was about nine when I first began to draw connections from the large colorful paintings that hung on the walls of…
A Guide to Connecting with Your Teenage Grandchildren Enough of the grunted, one-word answers! From sharing music and stories about milestone events to reconciling with the generation in between (aka your grandchild’s parents), Where Two World’s Meet is a caring, tactical guide for grandparents on the secret to entering their tween and older grandchild’s world, and…
Poetry and Other Reflections on Summer Camp This article was written for Grand Magazine. Read the original (and subscribe to the magazine) here: GRAND Magazine – Summer 2021 [36] (nxtbook.com) Nothing like aging to spawn reveries on the meaning of life. Don’t get me wrong, I am so grateful to be here, spending time…
After much deliberation and at my daughter’s generous invitation, I’ve made my temporary “pandemic move” to LA permanent. My son Michael took on the monumental task of going to my home in Deerfield, IL to pack up a life’s worth of “stuff.” These are the selected treasures that have stayed with me: items inherited from…
It was Fall of 2019 when I posted on Facebook that I didn’t want to move, despite my adult children’s urgings. “My life is here. My friends are here. I don’t want to lose my independence,” I proclaimed. By the following April, my sentiments hadn’t changed. But the world had. On April 3, 2020, my…
Many are the social, emotional, and developmental expectations and impacts of remote learning on children at different ages. JCC Chicago, JCFS Chicago and Grandparents Unleashed hosted a panel about helping grandparents (and parents) understand what their grandchildren are experiencing, to help them enter their grandchild’s world, understand what it’s like for them now and explore…
Grandparents just want to be helpful during these challenging times. But what happens when grandparents live in another city? Or when concerns about COVID prevent meeting in person? How can technology help? This 2nd panel in the Lifelines for a Lifetime series, presented by JCC Chicago, JCFS Chicago and the Grandparent Grandchild Connection program,…
Yep. I am still their Dad. “But, I am 92 and they are in their 60’s,” I think, jabbering to myself. “JEROME,” my wife Margaret, who died 15 years ago, would say right now to get my attention. “You worry too much. They are adults. Let them be.” Sage advice, Margaret. “But I…
I was born March 29, 1928 I am now 92 as of March 29, 2020 Reflecting on the years of my life, they have been both painful and wonderful. I am grateful for the joy. And I realize the pain is reality. I am grateful that I have two adult children who love me and…
We older adults are the most vulnerable to the virus. According to the CDC that’s anyone over 60. I’m well beyond that, at 92 (technically 91 and 51 weeks). We are stuck at home. If we are a widow or widower we may be alone and lonely. As I work on creating these opportunities…
