GRAND Magazine - September/October 2019 - 31
essay
Grandmas are
needed more than ever
BY HARRIET HODGSON
B
ecoming the grandmother of twins changed me. The role enabled me to see life through
the eyes of children again, a true gift. I learned from the twins and they learned from me. In
today's fast-paced, complex, challenging, and scary world, grandmas are needed more than
ever. We are a stable influence, willing to help (often for free), and have wisdom to share.
What is the Grandma Force? It is an informal, global, multi-cultural network of grandmothers
working singly and together to better the lives of grandchildren. Around the world, in bustling
cities and small villages, grandmas are making a difference every day. Better yet, they are creating
new memories with their grandchildren.
Thanks to advances in medicine, grandparents are living longer and have more time to spend
with grandchildren, enjoy them, and contribute to their lives. This may explain the spiking
number of grandparenting resources. Grandmas are turning to print books, eBooks and websites
for support.
In 2007 the twins' parents died from the injuries they received in separate car crashes, tragedies that rippled through the entire family. Our daughter was and always will be their mother. The
court appointed my husband and me as the twins' guardians and we did this for seven years. Life
experience and ongoing research led me to write The Grandma Force: How Grandmothers are
Changing Grandchildren, Families, and Themselves.
The Grandma Force isn't a formal organization with dues or a website or a newsletter, yet this
is our strength. We can use our talents, education, and experience to help grandchildren anywhere, at any time. If you aren't a member of the Grandma Force, now is the time to get active.
For we share the same goals-to have happy grandchildren and love them more each day.
31 GRAND
SEPT-OCT 2019
Harriet Hodgson, BS, MA
has been a freelance writer
for 38 years. She is the
author of thousands of
articles, and 37 books. Visit
www.harriethodgson.
com to learn more about
this busy wife, caregiver,
grandmother, author, and
speaker.
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GRAND Magazine - September/October 2019
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of GRAND Magazine - September/October 2019
Contents
GRAND Magazine - September/October 2019 - 1
GRAND Magazine - September/October 2019 - 2
GRAND Magazine - September/October 2019 - 3
GRAND Magazine - September/October 2019 - Contents
GRAND Magazine - September/October 2019 - 5
GRAND Magazine - September/October 2019 - 6
GRAND Magazine - September/October 2019 - 7
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