This July, my amazing grandma turned 93 years old! In honor of Grandparents Day on September 9, I have asked her to share a few words of wisdom.
Living nearly a century, our Mimi has encountered extreme struggles and pain and has experienced intense love and beauty. Her mind is sharp. Her fiery red hair has drawn attention from spectators since she was a toddler. Her pale green eyes see more beauty in an average day than most people see their entire lives. And her imagination grows with each day.
Mimi’s Words of Wisdom
- Kids will be kids. Be proud of even the littlest things your child accomplishes.
- Never be embarrassed by your child’s actions. Just smile and say, “That’s my boy.” He will grow up right before your eyes.
- When you get your house clean for company, the kids will destroy it. Be ready.
- Teach your little girl how to be a woman. Be open with her and let her know she can trust you. She will teach her daughter the same way you teach her.
- Recognize and accept the differences between your children.
- Enjoy the cold of winter. The whole world sparkles with ice that forms crowns of diamonds on trees and fences.
- Allow your children to make mistakes. They will learn far more from the experience than from getting a lecture.
- The arts expand a child’s mind. Art brings beauty to the world and allows children to revel in everything they see, hear, and feel.
- Rain softens all the rough edges of the world. Allow it to do the same to you.
- Never turn down children’s artwork. Encourage them.
- When children draw pictures, they are drawing their world. Study their art.
- Playing outside brings dreams to life and strengthens the imagination.
- Build ballerina dolls out of flowers.
- Sit on your trike and ride as fast as you can go. You never know when someone is going to make you balance on two wheels.
- Relax in the grass and weave dandelion crowns.
- You never outgrow playing in water. Take baths.
- Always rock a baby to sleep. And always sing lullabies.
- Tell stories of your own childhood. Children will remember and pass them down through the generations.
- Enjoy the mess. Soon enough your house will be spotless, but your kids will be grown up.
- Foster a child’s desire to explore.
- What you worry about today will be gone tomorrow.
- Be in love with the written word.
- Enjoy happy accidents.
- Get a pet. Pets teach responsibility and unconditional love.
- Eat fresh baked apple pie.
- Find an artistic outlet.
- Watch the sunrise and look for all the colors of the rainbow. They are there if you look hard enough.
- Hang your clothes outside to dry. They will smell like sunshine.
- The sunrise may not last long but it brings with it a fresh new day. Accept its gift.
- Water heals. Listen to its sounds, watch it flow, and make sure to splash. A lot.
- Smell your children’s hair after they’ve had a bath. It’s a smell you will never forget.
- Learn when to keep your mouth shut.
- When you are putting away toys, your children will always be right behind you taking them all out. Don’t turn around.
- When you are a grandma, never tell the kids no. That’s their parent’s job.
- The best meal you can make is pan-fried chicken and mashed potatoes.
What words of wisdom will you be able to share with your grandchildren?
Beautiful post! I love that my children get to have great-grandparents in their lives (I had a great-grandma until I was 21!). I don’t have any words of wisdom to past down to my children but I do have advice for those raising children right now. If your children are fortunate to have great-grandparent make it a priority that you do something special with them one-on-one. I feel like at the great-grandparent stage most interaction is with other family members and other great-grandchildren at the same time. We take our great-grandparents each summer on a fun one-on-one trip. We’ve been to the zoo, rode the train in Boone, went to Reiman Gardens, and this year we took one great-grandma all the way to West Branch to explore the Grotto. These solo trips and interactions are not only beneficial for my kids but my grandparents love the alone time too.