GrandParenting is GRAND!
A good friend recently pointed out to me, that an expert is someone with experience. That reality, struck a chord with this LDS Grandparent! Since I’m always thinking about, and writing about being an LDS GrandParent these day, and being reminded of this fact – I realized that grandparents are really EXPERT PARENTS… and that is exactly what makes us so GRAND!
Think about it? How many years were you, or have you been a first generation parent. For me, my oldest will turn 30 in May. My youngest is a senior in high school. That means, that I have been in practice now, for nearly 30 years, and counting! Now, you tell me if all these years of experience, does not make me, an “expert parent”? You can’t!
Every parent, has the potential to someday, be GRAND! If things go well, you can even be GRAND and GREAT! And, if things go really really well, we can become GLORIOUS!
The cycle of life, is so beautiful. Each one of us begin as completely inexperienced parents, with the arrival of our first baby. Most of what we know about being a parent, will come from how we were parented ourselves. So in essence, we already have the potential right then and there, to be grand. Every step of progression in this life, is based on previous experience – whether we are conscious of this or not. Our responsibility as children of God, is to take whatever our experiences have been, learn from them — and be better!
EVERY GENERATION BETTER!
I have always taught my own children, that I expect them to be better parents to their own children, that I was to them. Mind you, I am not putting myself down. I believe that this is how we grow. I have always hoped, that I took from my own childhood of being “parented” – and tried with even greater diligence, to be the best parent that I knew how to be, to my own children.
As LDS GrandParents, we are so blessed to have the teachings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, in our lives. We are so blessed to have had years of experience in learning how to apply these principles of the gospel, to the raising of our children. I can’t tell you how many times over the years, that I tried to parent without applying the teachings of Jesus Christ. I didn’t realize it, but I was trying to do things, in ways that I thought best. It took some failures as a parent, to more fully understand the power of parenting, through the principles of the gospel.
One of the most beautiful principles of parenting, that I have come to understand and love, is that of individual agency. Learning to trust in this eternal principle, as the means by which our children and grandchildren will progress — has truly been GRAND!
To be GRAND, is to have learned through our own experiences, to do that which is good. To be an LDS Grand-Parent, is to have come to a place, ready to become even more like our Heavenly Father…
tDMg
LdsNana
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Clinton 03.22.09 at 7:41 pm
Great post Kathryn, It dose Give one pause to think And I must say I had never even considered Grandparenting in such away. Maybe I am better off than I had thought.(New Grandpa To be) Augest.
LdsNana 03.22.09 at 8:07 pm
Hello Clinton -
I believe that most of us, are better off that we realize, so long as we are striving to do what we know is right. The job of a parent, is great indeed. Certainly this accounts, for something great!
I’m so excited that you will be a grandpa this Summer. Keep us posted.
tDMg
J Mike Jones 07.05.09 at 8:58 am
Hello again. So nice to find you on Twitter. You are an amazing person. Once again I want to express my gratitude for all you have done for me. You are truly a wonderful friend.