While completing my Masters in Human Development at St. Mary’s University, I read over two-hundred books on parenting and grandparenting.

The following eleven truths summarize the main points I learned in those books.

1. There are approximately 65 million grandparents in our country today; by 2020, that number will grow to 98 million.

2. Because we have chosen to have fewer children, we will also have fewer grandchildren.

3. The role of the grandparent in the nuclear family has changed dramatically in the last century.

4. Our families no longer live in a community; in fact, we are lucky if our children even live in our own country.

5.  Families are in desperate need of help. Because the make-up of families has changed, the vital role of grandparents has also been dramatically changed, if not eliminated.

6. We have more and more blended families.

7. Research shows that children with strong links to grandparents are less likely to develop psychological problems during times of family disruption.

8. An Ethical Will is one way we can gain clarity on what our legacy will be and what we will share with future generations.

9. We can only leave a legacy if we know where we are going and what we intend to accomplish.

10. We bond with our children and grandchildren by spending time together.

11. Our children will remember us through the heritage activities we practice and the values we represent.

Don Schmitz is a popular speaker and writer on parenting and grandparenting. He is the author of The New Face of Grandparenting …Why Parents Need Their Own Parents and founder of Grandkidsandme, which includes: Grandparent Camps and Grandkid Days. Don holds graduate degrees in Education, Administration, Human Development and father to three sons and seven grandchildren. Contact Don Don@grandkidsandme.com.