heart to heart blog

This year, Grandparents Day will be celebrated for the 3oth time on September 13.   The role of grandparent has always been integral to the family in American culture, but it is a role that has consistently been “morphing” in response to changes in lifestyle, economics and evolving subcultures.  Here’s a brief blurb on the Day’s founding and some great ideas for how to commemorate!

Who’s your Grandmom?

Marian McQuade founded Grandparent’s Day in 1973 in West Virginia, with the original intent of preserving heritage and wisdom from generation to generation. After five years of championing other states to come on board, her efforts were rewarded when the first official Grandparent’s Day holiday was signed into law by President Jimmy Carter in 1978. The first official observance was September 9, 1979.

What does it mean now to be a grandparent?

When I first heard about Grandparent’s Day back when my kids were younger, I thought, “Well, here’s another holiday invented to boost greeting card sales.”   On this 30th Anniversary, I am within a couple of weeks of approaching grandparenthhood myself.  I feel grateful and blessed for the wonderful experiences I can anticipate.  I’m also grateful that after passing on the mothering baton, I have more time to ponder things beyond my own experience.  After a little homework, I’ve developed a new perspective on the meaning of Grandparent’s Day.

The holiday has slowly evolved and this year Grandparent’s Day is much more in the spotlight. Thirty years after Carter’s proclamation, America’s Grandparents number 70 million.  Now, 4.5 million kids are being raised by grandparent heads of household. Many more grandparents are seeing their adult kids return to the nest as the current economy forces more families to create multi-generational households.

In 2009, the holiday will serve as a forum for debate over our healthcare . While conservatives have organized a march on Washington, D.C. on September 12 to bring their case against “Obamacare”, Robert Reich, former Secretary of Labor (Clinton Administration), has announced plans for a rally right on Grandparent’s Day - September 13, 2009 in an effort to press Congress to approve a health-care reform bill that includes a “public option.”  It doesn’t matter which side of the political fence you proclaim or how you feel about Obamacare, It’s good to see Grandparent’s Day getting the exposure!

Grandparent’s Day is not just a holiday pay homage to our parent’s parents and preserve heritage, but also to call national attention to the expanding roles and challenges facing grandparents every day.  Many of us who are wishing for grandchildren, or who banter with our children about whether or not we spoil their little angels or how far to get involved, can be grateful for our little skirmishes.

The Census Bureau keeps some interesting and surprising statistics about grandparents.  It startled me to discover that 1.5 million grandparents in the labor force are also responsible for most of the basic needs of their grandchildren. Did you know that 482,000 grandparents with income below the poverty level are caring for their grandchildren? Often grandparent-led homes are single grandparent families devoid of financial support from the child’s parents. The challenge is compounded when you consider that grandparents typically do not have legal rights over the children they care for and may also be impeded by their own health issues.

There has, fortunately, been some recognition of the plight of some of our older generation. Several agencies have developed programs to help address grandparent family issues.  The Agency on Aging, for instance, or the local Grandparent Resource Center can provide information on financial assistance, child care, and legal options. Parenting advice is also available.  Grandparent’s support groups can be very beneficial in providing support, recognition and community. Various faith groups also commune to provide respite care.

Celebrate and Commemorate

Being a grandparent means so many things in American culture today.  There are as many lifestyles and experiences as there are children. So on the 30th official Grandparent’s Day - September 13, 2009,  there is something everyone can do to honor  recognize  and support the Grandparents all around us.  Here are a few ideas. Please chime in with some of your own!


• Conduct interviews with your eldest relatives to preserve for young children.
• Conduct interviews with your children about what grandparents mean to them.
• Host a special activity in honor of the day.
• Visit grandparents in nursing homes (doesn’t have to be your own).
• Look into becoming a foster grandparent.
• Offer respite care to a grandparent caregiver or single parent.
• Watch home movies to reconnect with grandparents passed along and re-tell their stories.
• Make an effort to make sure photographs are preserved.
• Start or join a support group or online grandparenting community.
• Just have fun by entering your favorite grandparent or senior into a contest.
• Resolve to keep in touch with long distance grandparents- sign up for a free trial and send some sunnygrams.

Happy 3oth Anniversary to Grandparent’s Day!