Faribault Daily News
Today's Grandparents are lucky, author says
Pauline Schreiber
May 27, 2004

Faribault -- Children need adults in their lives, and what better adult mentors could there be, besides parents, than grandparents? That's the view of Don Schmitz, 58, a grandparent and author of the book, "The New Face of Grandparenting...Why Parents Need Their Own Parents."

Schmitz, 58, graduated from Bethlehem Academy in 1963 and grew up on a farm near Faribault. A former teacher who has graduate degrees in education and human development, Schmitz has made grandparenting into a business, Grandkidsandme, Inc.

The business offers monthly activities for grandparents and grandkids on its Web site: www.grandkisandme.com. Before his book came out, Schmitz started Grandkidsandme Camp, a twice-a-year, long-weekend camp at Camp Icagawahn near Amery, WI.

His parents, Ed and Sue Schmitz, live in Cardinal Point, a senior condominium complex next to Central Park in Faribault. "I think a grandparents's role is more important today than ever," Schmitz said during a recent interview at his parents' condo.

"Today, with both parents working outside the home in many families, grandparents can step forward to help out." Part of Schmitz's business includes public speaking, making presentations about the importance of family, early childhood education and nurturing children, as well as grandparenting.

"It's my belief that parents need their parents, and grandparenting provides a great opportunity for the two generations to work together to do what is best for the young child both have an interest in," Schmitz said.

Schmitz's book offers grandparents advice about how to deal with their adult children as they develop a mentoring role with their grandchildren. One tip is to avoid taking sides in a family conflict and be a listener instead.

Grandparents serve the role of being witness in their grandchildren's lives," Schmitz said. "They can go to piano recitals, softball games or other events that, maybe, parents that are working don't have time to attend."

For the 66 percent of grandparents who have at least one grandchild who lives more that a day's drive away, a statistic provided by AARP, he suggests routine phone calls or e-mail.

"We have the technology to keep in touch with our grandkids who live far away," Schmitz said. "It's a great time to be a grandparent."

Schmitz has some experience with this because three of his own grandchildren-- Hanna, 9; Sofia, 7; and Josephine, 5-- have lived in Sweden most of their lives. They are the children of the oldest of his three sons. A younger son who lives in the Twin Cities is married and has a daughter, Isabella, 1.

For the past year Schmitz's three Swedish granddaughters have lived in Stillwater, but now that they're going back to Sweden, he'll have to get used to occasional visits and e-mail again.

"I'll need to go back to using the Internet, in between visits to Sweden, to keep in touch with them," he said. "It's a wonderful tool that even 10 years ago wasn't available for grandparents to use. Now, grandparents can keep in touch with grandchildren living far away on a daily basis, through e-mail."

Schmitz said grandparents today are lucky.

"Most live long enough to see their grandkids graduate from high school, get married and provide them with great-grandchildren," he said. "That wasn't true in past generations."

Those interested in any of the Grandkidsandme activities, or wanting to know more about the organization, can contact Schmitz at 651 695 1988,e-mail Info@grandkidsandme.co, or visit www.grandkidsandme.com.

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