We talked to teachers, parents and other grandparents raising grandchildren starting the day schools were closed. Here some thoughts. No one can do all of these! Pick and choose strategies you find most realistic and useful.
Hurts can hurt again. As a grandparent raising grandchildren, you live with the consequences of childhood trauma even in the best of times. Your grandchildren have endured a lot. You may have experienced trauma yourself. Now you must cope this catastrophe. What can...
When will this time of trouble be over? Whatever today's confusing graphs and charts tell us, at some point the lines will bend toward the other side. We will come through. And like gold refined in the crucible’s fire, we will be changed. As we tell our children,...
Cabin fever is a real: Mental health experts tell us that anxiety, extreme frustration, depression can hit three critical components of mental health: our sense of autonomy, our connections to others, and our feelings of competency and ability to manage. We take for...
It’s Joy’s nature to catch us by surprise. You can’t pick it off the shelf or buy it online. You can’t salt it on your beans and rice. It waits inside like overwintering seeds. May Joy catch you up today. May it come when you need it most. May you see it before it...
Of course you are worried. One way to gain a sense of control in these turbulent days is to prepare now for what might happen. What will you do if you or your partner gets sick and needs medical care? As a grandparent raising grandchildren you probably have...
As grandparents raising grandchildren, you may feel as though you lost touch with people as you started parenting the second time. Here are three things you and your grandchildren might try to stay connected to people outside your home. You will probably need to make...
As we age, it seems that physical activity goes from being a joy to a chore. However, if my neighborhood is typical, COVID seems to have inspired new commitments to walking, including older people. Being physically active is an essential ingredient for the health and...
Okay, let’s admit that everybody is struggling with this and everyone's rules have changed. As I write this post at 7 am, my son, age 11, is already begging for his Switch. His teenage sister is posting to TikTok. Given all the stresses of home life, it may feel...
A basic daily rhythm--a schedule--will help you and the children manage the new normal. Routines provide structure and a sense of safety for children, which helps them control their impulses and behaviors. Routines are important for adults, too. As coronavirus crisis...