childhood memories | Catholic Family Fun | Grandparenting
Discover simple ways for grandparents to create lasting memories with their grandchildren, ensuring love and connection across generations.
A few years ago, I saw a special Mother’s Day meme. It basically said that moms are a lot like Moses in that we prepare our people to enter a place where we cannot go and will not be. That’s true to some extent for mothers and children, but it is most certainly true for grandmothers (and grandfathers) and their grandchildren. This became even clearer to me when my latest grandson arrived this year.
I certainly intend to love this little one every chance I get. However, if I were to pass away sometime in the next ten years, he would have only a very faint memory of me, if at all.
The good leave an inheritance to their children’s children. (Proverbs 13:22a)
When I think of my own grandmas, I know they left little breadcrumbs of important memories for me. I witnessed my mother leaving those loving bits for my children when they were growing up.
But grandmas have a hard time leaving these memories without the help of their own children—the parents of the grandchildren. It’s important for moms to safeguard these precious memories, encourage grandparents to reach out, and act as caretakers of these memories to help our children process them later.
So here are some of my favorite memory holders I plan to leave to my grandchildren, whether they grow up near me, or not! I hope these simple tips will make it easy to do that.
The Sending Cards Grandparents
This is especially important if you are the grandparents who live far away. Make sure to leave a special message on the card for your grandchild, even if they are years away from being able to read it. Include a special bible verse for them to look up later.
Moms can help by making sure all of Grandma and Grandpa's letters are kept in one place in a special folder, box, or notebook. I saw one idea where holes were punched in the cards, and they were kept together with zip ties. That made the cards a sort of book for the child.
Selfie and Send
It doesn’t matter if they are silly, formal, digital, or printed. More importantly, be in the pictures! Let the children put a face to the name and tie it to good memories and being part of a family.
Serve a Signature Cookie
My great-grandma actually started that idea. All of her kids, grands, and greats knew that if you went to her house, you would get a gingersnap cookie. My mom took that idea and always came with Fig Newtons. Even now, those cookies remind my kids of their grandma and the times they shared. I think my signature cookie will be chocolate chip!
Keep a Journal Online or in a Beautifully Bound Paper Notebook
Write down your thoughts about the world and current events. When your grandchildren are older and wonder what grandma thought about the pandemic, or the election, or the coronation of an English monarch after 75 years, they can read it in your own words. Think what a gift it would be to have the thoughts of your own grandparents in the times they lived in!
Be the Catholic Grandma and Grandpa
Send a holy card in with the birthday card. Give a soccer ball and a rosary. Give books about saints or children’s Bibles with beautiful pictures. And when you spend time with your grandchildren, make sure that you celebrate the saint of the day or the liturgical feasts with them. Share your stories of faith.
Show Them You're Their Biggest Fan
If you can, get to the games, recitals, and programs involving your grandkids. But if you live far away, send words of encouragement and support in an email, text, card, or note. Find a way to be in their memories of those special days.
Parents can help archive these memories as well! When I was a baby, I made a special little sound of delight when my grandmother came into the room. I only made it for her, and it made her so happy and everyone else around was charmed. But I only know about this because my father shared the story with me. I’m so grateful for that.
Copyright 2023 Elena LaVictoire
Images: Canva