Category: Experts Corner

a special feature from Leslie Zinberg, co-founder grandparentslink

All grandparents have stories. Every one of us. It is up to us to pass on our history to our grandchildren. When I think back to my own grandparents, there is so much of their history that has not been identified, that they did not tell my cousins and me. Now I am loaded with questions, and there is no one to ask. In other words, don’t wait. Tell your grandchildren all about who you are, where you came from, who your parents are, your grandparents. Tell stories. Show pictures. Talk about your past.

When your grandchildren hear about the family history, they feel a deeper connection to their past. It provides an even stronger foundation, promoting self-esteem, and a clear sense of belonging. Through family stories, you can instill family values, faith, and ethics. And, children get excited to hear about your life, your experience, and your growing-up anecdotes.

Of course, we know the stories of our own sons and daughters, and boy, do the grandkids love to hear those narratives! They love to hear how their dad or mom got in to mischief, how he or she made mistakes (and learned from them), what their favorite toys and stuffed animals were, how good or not so good they were at playing a particular sport, their favorite sayings, their favorite movies or television shows, their relationships with siblings and friends. When you tell these stories, you are educating your grandchildren. Add the humor, the sentiment, their likes and loves. You are spinning magical tales with your grandkids that they can hold to, and then share as they grow older.

Here are a few ideas of how to share family stories…