GRAND Magazine - Summer 2024 - 31

grandparenting
With that tone, we had an amazing and illuminating
evening. We started with their oldest child, and they
reviewed how she was doing physically-everything
from her general health to her teeth, and everything
from her music and athletic abilities to her problems
or issues. The two of them seemed to fuel each other's
thoughts and ideas. Our daughter would say
something, and her husband would pick up on it and
elaborate.
"
We avoided any judgement or
criticism, or even any advice unless
it was asked for directly...
swings, what upset her, how she handled victories and
defeats, how open she was about her feelings. Social
came next-her friends, her conversational ability,
who she liked to be with, her fears, her exposure to
social media. And finally, her spiritual facet-where
her heart and her faith were and how she responded
to the church they took her to.
"
We asked clarifying questions and took notes.
Then we went on to the mental-how she learned
and studied, her academic assets and liabilities, how
she related to her teacher at school, her natural aptitudes,
what was easy and what was hard for her,
where her interests and passions lied, her imagination,
her creativity. Then on to the emotional-her mood
31 GRAND SummER 2024
It was fascinating for the four of us to do this conversational
deep dive into this child we all loved so
much. As the two of us posed questions, listened, and
took notes, we learned dozens of small things at that
restaurant table that will help us love her better, and
we felt that our kids-the-parents learned from their
own answers and analysis of their child.
We avoided any judgement or criticism,
or even any advice unless it was
asked for directly, and we complemented
them at every opportunity, and
made even more of a point of praising
this granddaughter and telling them
how great she was and how much
and how well they were teaching her.
The conversation never stalled, in fact it picked up
momentum and energy as we went along.
And we were just getting started. We went on to
their other three children, and the dinner lasted nearly
three hours.
What could be better than having an " intelligence
gathering and strategy session " among the teaching
and management team that is lovingly assigned to
these four special projects?
We've decided to do an update five-facet-review
with the team at other good restaurants every couple
of months.
Richard and Linda Eyre's parenting
and life-balance books have reached
millions and been translated into a
dozen languages. As fellow Baby
Boomers, their passion and their
writing focus has now shifted to
the joy of Grandparenting. Linda's
latest book is Grandmothering,
Richard's is Being a Proactive
grandfather, and their latest coauthored
book is Life in Full. Watch for the Eyres'
new book " Grandparents' Secrets " coming out
next year.

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GRAND Magazine - Summer 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of GRAND Magazine - Summer 2024