Grandparenting 101

Early this week, someone said they hadn't heard much about my grandchildren in a while.  Then just yesterday a friend told me I should write a book about grandparenting.  I don't think I'm there yet.

Years ago I did start a book about parenting but it's stored somewhere in my laptop, untouched for a long, long time.  It was to be called Every Mistake in the Book, because...well...I made every mistake in the book.  But I learned from those mistakes so I hope I become a better grandparent than I was parent.

We did have our 6th Annual Camp Blackberry this summer.  We get them for a week and have all sorts of planned activities, trips, and meals.

This year all six grandchildren attended and we had a blast, visiting the Knoxville Zoo, The Lost Sea, and the Chattanooga Aquarium.  I think it wasn't until the third day this year that I had my first nervous breakdown.

It was a great week and those same grandkids are already making plans for next year.  Oh, the name?  We raise blackberries and our name is Black so it just seemed logical.  Sam Beall told me it was OK.

So let me bring you up to date a bit on those grandkids.

GK1 (grandkid #1, the oldest) is doing great, thank you for asking.  Smart, gorgeous, and athletic, she's on the Cross Country team at her school and loving it.

GK2 is definitely the artist in the family.  With a smile that can light up a room, she loves basketball and volleyball.   (So maybe this is a little about sports.)

GK3 is handsome and witty and hugely inquisitive.  He's searching for "his" sport but I have no doubt that he'll find it one day, since his parents are giving him lots of options. I may get him a tennis racket.

GK4 is a firecracker and about the cutest thing you'll ever see.  I predict that he will be an outside linebacker and a wrestler.

GK5 is into everything.  One of my favorite photos is of her leaving ballet with her in an oh-so-perfect ballerina bun with her karate gi on, ready for practice. 

GK6 is the live wire, running around trying everything and taking great joy in movement.  He's into karate too (which has been great for him) but he's going to be a chunk so it seems likely he'll follow his dad into football.

So, what does it take these days to produce smart, athletic, well-rounded kids?

Opportunities.  Kids need opportunities to explore and engage in different things, especially sports.  Travel teams, private coaches, specializing at an early age?  Bad ideas.  They need to move and do lots of different things.

Kids need experiences.  They need to get to know people that aren't like them.  They need to see places well beyond their backyard.

They need to be exposed to art and music and literature.  Only available to the rich?  Oh heck no.  Our schools do a great job and we have an awesome library.

Live life with them.  Do things with them.  Play, hike, swim, bike.  Fly a kite.  Together.