GRAND Magazine - Spring 2022 - 17

grandparent bragging zone
Hugs
Our granddaughter loves to give out hugs. If you are feeling bad, have
a " boo-boo " , or are just feeling happy, she believes a hug is just what
you need. Many research journals and documents validate that hugging
has stress-reducing effects for both huggers and may contribute to your
overall health.
Curiosity
How does this item open? How does this item close? How many items
can I carry at once? What are you doing? Why are you doing that? Our
granddaughter investigates all those questions with focus and determination.
Watching her face when she explores how something works is a
joy to see. She teaches all the adults around her that curiosity makes all
things new again. Learning new techniques and new methods of doing
something helps to keep our minds sharp and growing.
Kindness and manners
Our granddaughter is so kind! Her parents consistently work at teaching
her all the manners she needs to help her be successful in life.
Without reservation, she will say hello and wave to neighbors on the
street which immediately brings a smile to the adults that pass by. She
uses words like: please, thank you and you are welcome routinely. These
skills remind me that as adults we can extend more kindness to our families
and our community with just a smile, a wave or a nod - the smallest
of gestures.
Asking for help
Our granddaughter does not mind asking for help. When she is
17 GRAND Winter 2022
struggling to get her jacket on or off, she will quickly say " help please " ,
then the nearby adult will offer just the right amount of support to
accomplish her goal. As adults, we are often reluctant to ask for help on a
project or activity, fearful of what others might think. Our granddaughter
will just ask for support when she needs it and then move on to her next
task, not considering what others may think.
Celebrate success
When our granddaughter completes her task, opening an item, moving
something out of her path, putting on her jacket, or countless other
items, you can see a big smile and she will exclaim " I did, it! " She will then
encourage everyone to come to see her accomplishment. As an adult, we
often miss the celebrations of success which help us enjoy the hard work
we have completed and move us toward future tasks.
We are absolutely positive there are many more lessons to come from
our granddaughter. As she grows and enters the world, just keeping our
eyes and hearts open for what's to come will certainly create more enjoyment
in the days ahead. Janet Lanes remind us: " Grandchildren are loving
reminders of what we are here for. " That statement is so true.
Darlene Edwards and her husband have two
daughters, their son-in-law, and a wonderful
granddaughter. Darlene served in hospital
administration for a large teaching medical
center in central Virginia.
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GRAND Magazine - Spring 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of GRAND Magazine - Spring 2022
