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Elena LaVictoire offers simple tips to help grandmothers and their grandchildren treasure the time they spend with each other.


A few years ago, I saw a special Mother’s Day meme. It basically said that moms are a lot like Moses in that we prepare our people to enter a place where we cannot go and will not be. That’s true to some extent for mothers and children, but it is most certainly true for grandmothers and their grandchildren. This became even more clear to me when my latest grandson arrived this year.  

I certainly intend to love this little one every chance I get. However, if I were to pass away sometime in the next ten years, he will have only a very faint memory of me, if at all.  

The good leave an inheritance to their children’s children. (Proverbs 13:22a)

 

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When I think of my own grandmas, I know they left little breadcrumbs of important memories for me. I witnessed my mother leaving those loving bits for my children when they were growing up.  

But grandmas have a hard time leaving these memories without the help of their own children—the parents of the grandchildren. It’s important for moms to safeguard these precious memories, encourage grandparents to reach out, and act as caretakers of these memories to help our children process them later. 

So here are some of my favorite memory holders I plan to leave to my grandchildren, whether they grow up near me, or not! I hope these simple tips will be an easy way to do that.  

 

Be the grandma who sends the card.

This is especially important if you are the grandma that lives far away. Make sure to leave a special message on the card for your grandchild, even if they are years away from being away to read it. Include a special bible verse for them to look up later. 

Moms can help by making sure all of Grandma’s letters are kept in one place in a special folder, box, or notebook. I saw one idea where holes were punched in the cards, and they were kept together with zip ties. That made the cards a sort of book for the child.   

 

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Take and send pictures of yourself.

It doesn’t matter if they are silly, formal, digital or printed. More importantly, be in the pictures! Let the children put a face to the name and tie it to good memories and being part of a family.

 

Serve a signature cookie.

My great-grandma actually started that idea. All of her kids, grands, and greats knew that if you went to her house, you would get a gingersnap cookie. My mom took that idea and always came with Fig Newtons. Even now those cookies remind my kids of their grandma and their times together. I think my signature cookie is going to be chocolate chip!

 

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Keep a journal online, or a beautifully bound paper one.

Write down your thoughts about the world and current events. When your grandchildren are older and wonder what grandma thought about the pandemic, or the election, or the coronation of an English monarch after 75 years, they can read it in your own words. Think what a gift it would be to have the thoughts of your own grandparents in the times they lived in!

 

Be the Catholic grandma.

Send a holy card in with the birthday card. Give a soccer ball and a rosary. Give books about saints or children’s bibles with beautiful pictures. And when you spend time with your grandchildren, make sure that you celebrate the saint of the day or the liturgical feasts with them.

 

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Show them you're their biggest fan.

If you can, get to the games, recitals, and programs involving your grandkids. But if you live far away, send words of encouragement and support in an email, text, card, or note. Find a way to be in their memories of those special days.

 

Click to tweet:
6 ways grandmothers (even faraway ones) can make lasting memories with their grandchildren. #CatholicMom

Parents can help archive these memories as well! When I was a baby, I made a special little sound of delight when my grandmother came into the room. I only made it for her, and it made her so happy and everyone else around was charmed. But I only know about this because my father shared the story with me. I’m so grateful for that. 

 

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Copyright 2023 Elena LaVictoire
Images: Grandmother and baby selfie copyright 2023 Elena LaVictoire; all others Canva