By now, it’s no surprise that celebrations this year look a bit different than years past. That said, I wanted to take some time to reflect on how we could recognize our grandparents during a pandemic, and what it may look like.
As you may have sensed from my previous posts, family is a high priority for me, so it only makes sense that I would want to honor the people who came before me. It’s important to me that I continue that “family first” role modeling for my children.
My grandparents played a huge role in my upbringing, including my 92-year-old grandfather walking me down the aisle. Despite living three hours away, my daughters’ grandparents are as involved as they can be (from a distance). We’re doing the best we can to keep the connections during this crazy time.
At the end of August, we were able to make a trip to upstate New York to celebrate my husband’s grandmother turning 100! This year that looked like a driveby parade, with the local fire department and police helping traffic (she lives on a major road). After the parade, several of her close family members had an outdoor gathering with social distancing measures in place. It was great to have my girls be part of this special day and see a few cousins whom we only see a few times a year.
This year, Grandparents Day (celebrated on September 13th) and the 100th birthday celebration had me thinking about how we could honor grandparents during the pandemic. If you can’t get to visit your grandparents, here is a list of ideas:
- Mail a letter
- Send a video/video chat
- Send homemade gifts/pictures
- Make a photo book
If you happen to be one of the lucky families that live close by to grandparents, here is a list for you, too, with current social distancing practices in mind:
- Have the kids bake something to drop-off to them
- Plan an outdoor visit or meal together
- Go to the park together to spend time with them
- Share favorite memories (if children are old enough)
For younger children, making memories is key. I hope you have fond memories of your grandparents growing up. My girls are blessed with two great-grandmas and three grandparents in their lives. I will be making sure to take the time this year to honor them from afar.
