grandparents

Becoming a grandparent makes getting older something to look forward to - all the fun of parenting, without the hassle.

Five Things I Learned from My Grandparents During Summer Visits
As a child, I grew up in a semi-rural/suburban community. In one direction you could easily drive towards the city and the opposite direction would take you into farm country—a fifteen-minute drive, either way. I used to cycle both directions, and I developed a fondness for both alike, sketching pictures of old barns and forest landscapes. On other occasions, I'd visit the city to shop and take pictures, only to sketch them later on. These hobbies were the result of my grandparents, who visited every summer from Europe. They would arrive soon after school was out and return just before September. In many ways, they had a stronger impact on my activities throughout childhood, more so than my parents or friends.
By Vicki C7 years ago in Families
A Grandson’s Tribute
Alma Katherine Hagan was born February 24, 1925 near Strode, Kentucky, the daughter of Erie and Nora Page Hagan. Along with her parents, brothers, sisters and Grandpa Brock Page, the rickety little house a short distance from old Rockbridge School swelled with life on the brink of the Great Depression. They worked hard raising gardens and a family on a tobacco income, moving several times before making a home on the George Carter farm in the curve on highway 1049. Grandma was the seventh of ten children—Neva, Clifton, Glaydell, Odell, Dale, Ruby, Katherine, Sarah, Chloe Eagle and James Wendall—with several not living until adulthood. With the exception of Chloe Eagle, Katherine survived them all. One of her earliest memories was hearing James Wendall crying. He did not live more than a few months.
By Drew Lindsey7 years ago in Families
My Mentor
Everybody has that one person that they idolize, someone that they aspire to be. For some, it is a celebrity; for others, it is an athlete; and for some, it is their own family. The person that I idolize is my grandfather. I idolize him because he lived an interesting life. My grandfather got to grow up in the 1920s, and I find that interesting because I like to ask him what things were like back then, and what his views are on today’s society. I find it interesting because he is a veteran of the Korean War, in fact he was even shot in the foot (that’s not important, I just wanted to add that).
By Walter Duke8 years ago in Families
Absent, Not Gone
“It’s you and me against the world.” Those were the words my grandfather would often utter when I padded downstairs to kiss him goodnight. He was a quiet man who rarely indulged in idle conversation, let alone humor, but when he saw my face framed with messy hair, his brown eyes seemed to glow. He would smile for me. I would hoard his abrupt chuckles like a dragon would gold.
By Becca Volk8 years ago in Families
Finishing What He Started
My late grandfather was an editor's choice award winner three times. He wrote songs, short stories, and children's books. I even heard of a screenplay for a TV show that he never showed anyone. He was a child at heart and always knew how to reach children with his words. Imagine the lessons we got as kids, not to mention the bedtime stories and games we played together. He was always so animated and got into it with his outfits. We had a lot of fun growing up because of him.
By Carmen Spiteri8 years ago in Families
The Life of Brian
Welcome, everyone, to my first post, and an introduction to the overall topic of this blog. The topic of this blog and many of my posts will be my grandfather's disability before his recent passing. Many subjects will be covered in the discourse of this blog. Examples of this are; how did my grandfather become paralysed? What is quadriplegia/tetraplegia? What further health problems can this cause? What the UK health care service did to help, what is autonomic dysreflexia, what was his life like before he was paralysed, and other topics.
By Jo McGarry8 years ago in Families
Living as a Caregiver
I have been a caregiver to my grandmother for almost eight years. Back in my late teen years, I saw the signs, I giggled at the silly things she did, I blew off her strange behavior and mood swings. But I never imagined that I would spend my 20s tethered to the family home, missing out on some of the most important experiences of my life for almost eight years straight.
By Zaney Vayne8 years ago in Families
From Oatmeal Cookies to Soup on a Plate
My grandfather is a retired Navy Chief of 30 years. He has always told his favorite Navy stories. When I was little I used to get tired of the same story over and over again, but now I crave to hear the story of how his buddies gave his friend a swirly for losing a bet just one more time.
By Hailey Corum8 years ago in Families
Things They Don't Tell You About Raising Your Grandchildren
She has been crying silently in the back seat for ten minutes. She is trying to be brave for her brother and sister, so she keeps her head down. She is confused and sad. My heart is breaking into pieces as I try to drive us home. I keep telling her that I know she doesn't understand, but she will be ok. I also tell her that her daddy loves her and she will see him again.
By Christina Gonzalez8 years ago in Families
It's A Girl! Emotional, Beautiful and Amazing—Becoming A Grandmother At 50!
A mother's instinct is to protect, nurture and take care of every need for her children. We remember how we were taught, cared for and, most of all, chastised, how we felt and how we decided what we would or wouldn't do with our own children, when the time came.
By Ann Zukon8 years ago in Families
I'm Sorry, Mama
I remember bragging about you, Mama. In my little girl eyes, you were a hero. Even then, I knew that at your age, you were something special. Like most, if not all grandmothers, you had a brutal past, and that certainly morphed you into who you are, but I think it was primarily the attitude with which you faced those tribulations that made you this incredibly strong and fierce woman.
By Tessa Jayne8 years ago in Families
Our Last Game
On Tuesday, August 1, 2000, 17,469 people walked into Oakland Stadium to watch the hometown Athletics take on the Toronto Blue Jays. The Athletics were two years away from the famous, or infamous, Moneyball years and the Jays were seven years removed from their back to back World Series titles. While the A’s would go on to win 97 games that year and win the AL West, little suggested that either of these teams were a World Series contender. And so I didn’t bother turning on the game. I was slightly preoccupied.
By Mike Tanner8 years ago in Families