GRAND Magazine - September/October 2016 - 36

grand relationships

CONNECT WITH GRAND

How to play the project game

BY SUSAN ADCOX

YOUR STORIES!

he school year is well underway, and that
means that some grandparents will be getting a call soon. The call may come from
your own child, "Dad, I'm going out of town,
and Helen has a project due on Friday. Could
you . . . ?" The call may also come from a grandchild: "Grannie, History Fair is coming up.
Can you . . . ?"
Most grandparents are happy to help. After all,
lots of bonding takes place over shared tasks. But
occasionally such endeavors go terribly wrong.
Here's how to keep that from happening.

Don't get tricked into doing the work

Grandchildren are masters of this technique! After
all, they know that their grandparents will do almost
anything for them. Sometimes they think all they
have to do is get Grandpa or Grandma involved and
then do a slow fade. Don't fall for this ploy. If you
have to sit on your hands, do it.
● Don't impose your own standards on the work. It's
fine to show your grandchildren how to make things
neat and more professional looking, but if they
decide they want to hand-letter something or use
hot pink paper, let them do it.
● Don't lose sight of the ultimate goal. If your
grandchild is excited and learning something, the
appearance of the final project is secondary.

Here are two articles
you may find helpful:
36 GRAND

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2016

SHARE
YOUR LOVE,

Your grandchild
is the cherished next chapter
of your family's story.
This guided journal will help
you share your own chapter
with your grandchildren.

Some would add that grandparents shouldn't
rescue a grandchild who has procrastinated and can't
finish in time. I agree in theory, but sometimes it's a
parent who has forgotten to buy supplies or has failed
to set aside time for the project. Also, children haven't
yet learned the cardinal rule: Every project is going to

Grandparenting School-Age Grandchildren
Help Your Grandchildren Succeed in School

take longer than you think it will. So, yes, I've stayed
up more than once gluing pictures on poster board.
And I say let your conscience be your guide!

Susan Adcox is the Grandparents Expert
on About.com and the author of Stories
From My Grandparent: A Heirloom
Journal for Your Grandchild. A former
teacher, she has seven grandchildren.

The prompts will help you
use your own words to tell
your life stories from
childhood to present day.

DON'T LET
LY
I
M
A
F
R
U
O
Y
T

LOS
HISTORY BE

ORDER

Your Copy Here

http://www.amazon.com/Stories-From-My-Grandparent-Grandchild/dp/1440332851 https://www.facebook.com/GRANDmagazine/ https://www.twitter.com/grandMmagazine https://www.pinterest.com/GRANDmagazine2/ https://plus.google.com/114746402480325356757 http://www.shopfamilytree.com/stories-from-my-grandparent-group http://www.About.com http://www.shopfamilytree.com/stories-from-my-grandparent-group http://grandparents.about.com/od/growingintoyournewrole/a/SchoolAge.htm http://www.shopfamilytree.com/stories-from-my-grandparent-group http://grandparents.about.com/od/grandparentingtoday/fl/Help-Your-Grandchildren-Succeed-in-School.htm

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of GRAND Magazine - September/October 2016