Lifestyle: How to Cherish and Celebrate Grandparents at Home
Bring the generations together and make much of the grandparents with family activities and thoughtful touches around your home
Grandparents often contribute hugely to family life, providing childcare, support and a fresh perspective. But whether grandparents are a hands-on help or relatives who live more remotely, they all deserve to be shown love and respect, both when they come to visit and when the family is apart. Whether you want to connect with your own grandparents, or are encouraging your children to grow a deep bond with your mum and dad, these ideas will help each generation engage proactively and enjoy time together.
Enjoy a meal
Organise a family meal that will bring the generations together around the table to share good food and conversation. Get younger members of the family involved by asking them to lay the table, create some paper bunting or arrange some garden flowers or found twigs to make a table centrepiece.
Organise a family meal that will bring the generations together around the table to share good food and conversation. Get younger members of the family involved by asking them to lay the table, create some paper bunting or arrange some garden flowers or found twigs to make a table centrepiece.
Sit comfortably together
Hide the TV and turn your seating so everyone gathered can face each other and chat. If possible, add a straight-backed chair alongside the squishy sofas: older family members may prefer a firm seat over a soft, low one.
Check out 10 pieces of friendly furniture
Hide the TV and turn your seating so everyone gathered can face each other and chat. If possible, add a straight-backed chair alongside the squishy sofas: older family members may prefer a firm seat over a soft, low one.
Check out 10 pieces of friendly furniture
Cook together
Using recipes that have been handed down through a family is a wonderful way to stay connected across the generations. Encourage grandparents to share their favourite recipes and culinary tips with youngsters by cooking together and then enjoying eating the results.
Using recipes that have been handed down through a family is a wonderful way to stay connected across the generations. Encourage grandparents to share their favourite recipes and culinary tips with youngsters by cooking together and then enjoying eating the results.
Exchange memories
An album or a feature wall of photos can prompt a wealth of family memories and anecdotes. Take time to look at old images and share some family history. Encourage grandparents to bring photos when they visit, too, so you can find out more about the people in their past.
Discover great ways to display favourite photographs
An album or a feature wall of photos can prompt a wealth of family memories and anecdotes. Take time to look at old images and share some family history. Encourage grandparents to bring photos when they visit, too, so you can find out more about the people in their past.
Discover great ways to display favourite photographs
Share a skill
Any activity that stimulates the mind and helps to pass on practical wisdom and knowledge is ideal for enjoying together. It could be painting, embroidery, speaking another language, tinkering with bikes…
Any activity that stimulates the mind and helps to pass on practical wisdom and knowledge is ideal for enjoying together. It could be painting, embroidery, speaking another language, tinkering with bikes…
Allow the children to sleep over
Let the inspiration stretch beyond your own home: letting your children stay the night at their grandparents’ place can be their first step towards independence. It also gives grandparents the chance to look after their grandchildren on their own terms. It may not be quite how you’d do it, but for just one night, that’s fine! So encourage grandparents to create a welcoming and familiar space for your child in their house for sleepovers.
The benefits in terms of this cross-generational relationship far outweigh any disadvantages, and being spoiled by your granny is a long and valued tradition.
Let the inspiration stretch beyond your own home: letting your children stay the night at their grandparents’ place can be their first step towards independence. It also gives grandparents the chance to look after their grandchildren on their own terms. It may not be quite how you’d do it, but for just one night, that’s fine! So encourage grandparents to create a welcoming and familiar space for your child in their house for sleepovers.
The benefits in terms of this cross-generational relationship far outweigh any disadvantages, and being spoiled by your granny is a long and valued tradition.
Lead a tech tutorial
Many grandparents are adept at Facebook, Skype and email, but others may need some help to feel confident using technology to communicate. Sit down with them and help them to work their way around a computer.
Even better, ask teenage family members who are tech-savvy to give their gran or grandad a tutorial. Using modern technology in addition to the phone can help older relatives who may live far from you feel connected.
Many grandparents are adept at Facebook, Skype and email, but others may need some help to feel confident using technology to communicate. Sit down with them and help them to work their way around a computer.
Even better, ask teenage family members who are tech-savvy to give their gran or grandad a tutorial. Using modern technology in addition to the phone can help older relatives who may live far from you feel connected.
Write a note
In addition to contemporary methods of communicating, there’s still much pleasure to be derived from picking up a pen. Write a letter or postcard now and then to a grandparent. You could also involve young children by getting them to design a card and try out their newly learned handwriting skills inside.
TELL US…
What ideas have you incorporated in your home to help grandparents feel loved? Share your tips in the Comments below.
In addition to contemporary methods of communicating, there’s still much pleasure to be derived from picking up a pen. Write a letter or postcard now and then to a grandparent. You could also involve young children by getting them to design a card and try out their newly learned handwriting skills inside.
TELL US…
What ideas have you incorporated in your home to help grandparents feel loved? Share your tips in the Comments below.
Hand-me-down pieces, inherited treasures and random finds may all hold their own stories and spark a wealth of memories. Dig through your cupboards for old, collected pieces and explore them with your relatives.