Grandparents: 5 Memory Making Tips

Even before baby is here, grandparents will start dreaming of their days with their grandchild. Most of their dreams include sugary treats, crazy activities, and all the things you never got to do with them. Depending on your personal feelings about how strictly your kids should be held to certain rules and treat consumption, your parents, and your in-laws you may get to you feeling overwhelmed.

We all know you are trying to be a good parent – there is a lot of pressure in raising a tiny human. But, before you go off the deep end making demands and restricting your parents and in-laws, take a step back and remember your childhood. I don’t know about you, but for me, some of my best memories with my grandparents are the little things. I still can’t eat Teddy Grahams or shoot a BB gun without thinking of all the time spent with my grandparents.

So how do you let your kids enjoy these same memories you had without the sugar-high spoiled mess you were? Here are some tips building memories that satisfy both grandkid and grandparent.

1. Let the grandparents have special treats.
Remember that Werther’s Original hard candy your grandpa always carried in his pocket? Or those monster cookies your grandma always made when you were around? Those treats are engrained in your brain and the neuro-networks will always point to your grandparents. Let each grandparent pick a special treat that is for their grandkid. Communicate the special treats to all the other grandparents and caregivers in your kid’s life. Rather it is a cup of “coffee” (any drink in a coffee cup) in the morning with Grandma or breakfast cookies with Grandpa, I encourage you not to give your two-cents on the item. Let it be their thing, the memory is worth the extra sugar.

2. Do activities with the grandparents.

From painted toes with Grandma to breakfast at the coney island with Grandpa, every person has a favorite activity, having your kid share in those with their grandparents can create lifelong memories. Play cards, do arts and crafts, bike, go to the park, garden; whatever activity the grandparent chooses, encourage them to do it over and over again. If you have multiple kids, see if the grandparents can create special activities with each of the kids. Someday you will want to hear all about the activities your kid used to do with your parents.

3. Go on a trip together.
Experiences always create memories. Rather you travel to Iceland, to Disney World, or to your nearest State Park, spending quality time together outside of your routine creates life-long bonds. Get-aways can be filled with family time and a wide range of activities. Limiting screen time during these activities is important. Encourage them to focus on family time instead. This is not only limited to the kids, sometimes parents and grandparents need this reminder too.

4. Spend a holiday together.
The holidays are always memory makers. Grandma always bakes a pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. Christmas Eve is always at Grandpa’s house, we always eat whipped cream out of a can and open gifts until a pile of paper is so high you can hide in it. Committing to holiday’s may seem simple, but balancing long-distance families can make it more complex. Creating a routine out of the holidays or a routine out of the day will flex that memory muscle and a start building the stories they will tell as adults. Just remember to give each grandparent a fair chance at the different holidays. Everyone enjoys spending the holidays together, share the love.

5. Alone time.
Rather you are a full-time working parent or a stay-at-home parent, this can be tough. We all want to spend a ton of time with our kids, but a weekend alone with their grandkids can be just what the doctor ordered. Not only for the grandparents who get some extra time with the kids but for you too. Alone time with your significant other is so rare once you have kids, take any chance you can to enjoy some quiet.

Remember, from day one of finding out they are going to be grandparents they have been dreaming of the memories they are going to make with their grandkids. Before you list off your restrictions, try encouraging the relationship first. After all someday, sooner than you’d think, you will be a grandparent too.