How grandchildren strengthen family bonds

Susie Simmons, one of our wonderful executive assistants at Graco, celebrated her first holiday with her new grandbaby, “THE Kai-ster” on Thanksgiving. Kai-ster is now 8 months old and has quickly stolen the hearts of his entire family. Her grandbaby’s arrival created a new bond among her family she found was near impossible to describe, “The addition of a new generation adds an inexplicable new facet to the relationship with my adult children. There’s a strong connection somehow born from the depth of this shared love, an understanding of what’s most valuable. Life put into perspective.”

Eight months of love later and Thanksgiving arrives; Kai-ster is already at the center of the Simmons’ hearts. Don’t let Kai-ster fool you, according to Susie he is well aware of the attention and love surrounding him and embraces it, “The baby smiles and everyone stops to watch. All the busyness of the occasion and any strains or pressures are set aside while everybody focuses on the little guy and his antics. Somewhere during the next hour, you see it in his eyes when he realizes, “Hey, I’m the center of attention…and I like it!”

After talking with Susie, it was apparent that holidays have positively changed with Kai-ster in tow and that he brings a new dynamic to her family’s connection to one another. And although she had to reluctantly let him go after whispering a quick “I love you” in his ear, she looks forward to the many holidays to come with the new addition.

Unfortunately, Susie’s family lives in Virginia and she won’t be able to see Kai-ster at Christmas. But, as many of us have shared traditions with our grandparents surrounding the holidays, Susie has started Kai-ster’s ornament collection and expects many pictures capturing the moments of his first Christmas. She swears “she wouldn’t change this grandparenting stuff for anything!”