A friend of mine, Sr. Pauline, provided some wonderful advice to me recently that set the tone for one of the best times I have ever had with my grandchildren.

She said, “Take time to inhale your grandchildren deep into your heart."

After a vacation, I felt a great deal of peace. This inspired me to write the following hopes and beliefs for grandparents.

My Hopes and Beliefs for the future Grandparents

• Grandparents will become more involved the lives of their grandchildren.
• Grandparents will be open to learning new ways of connecting with their grandchildren.
• Grandparents will learn that they themselves are still emerging and continuing to grow through the stages of life: birth, teenager, young adult, mature adult, elder and senior.
• Parents and grandparents will learn to trust their love for each other and appreciate their differences. 
• Grandchildren will provide grandparents the opportunity to be kids again.
• Parents will be able to count on their parents during times of family crisis.
• Grandparents will take the time to play and learn from their grandchildren.
• Grandparents will be examples of social morals.
• Grandparents will give their grandchildren undivided attention.
• Grandparents will provide a strong sense of self-esteem to their children and grandchildren.
• A healthy view of the aging process will be learned from parents and grandparents. 
• Grandparents will love their grandchildren unconditionally.
• Grandparents will use their gift of perspective and their wealth of life experiences to teach their grandchildren to appreciate life.
• Children will learn to be better parents and grandparents by emulating their grandparents’ life examples.
• Grandparents will lovingly share their time, energy, money, kisses, and pieces of wisdom, teaching, heritage, life experiences, songs and me.

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 The Grandkidsandme Foundation and Grandparent Camps. Don holds graduate degrees in Education, Administration and Human Development. He is the father to three sons and nine grandchildren. Contact Don@grandkidsandme.com