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Grandparents’ Roles in Family Legacy Stories

Family Life

8 May

We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post. At no additional cost to you, clicking in these links go to support our blog. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Grandparents’ roles and stories in a family legacy are invaluable and sometimes rare. I grew up with 3 out of 4 grandparents very close-by. In fact, they were part of my everyday day for most of my life. My only living grandfather passed away when I was in middle school, but I had both of my grandmothers well into adulthood. My grandmothers played a huge part in raising me. They even lived in our house at different times for many years. As they grew older and less capable of caring for themselves, my mother was an angel sent from heaven as their caregiver. I can only hope I would be half as loving and full of compassion as she was for them. But as I look back, I have regrets about this time of my life.

a true family legacy. Grandparents, and grandchildren in a group photo.
My kids are lucky enough to have 4 living grandparents who live close by and are amazingly supportive and full of nothing but love for all their grandkids.

Getting to know you

Why would I regret having so much time with my grandparents? Especially when so many people would do anything to have had even half of what I had?

To be completely honest, it comes from a lesson they taught me. I didn’t utilize my time with them. What I should’ve done was sit with them and talk. I should’ve asked them questions and written down their stories. But I was a selfish busy kid who didn’t think I needed to know that information. As an adult, I did talk and ask questions and try to learn what I could, but by then, they had begun to age and had forgotten a lot. One of my grandmothers actually died with dementia. There were many, many years for her where she barely remembered who we were much less had the ability to tell me about her years of growing up.

My last grandparent passed away when I was about to have my second child who is now eleven. I made it a priority to pass this onto my kids. They must spend their time getting to know their grandparents. But I also passed onto my own parents the importance of a grandparent’s role and story in their legacy to their grandkids.

Learning the stories and legacies of grandparents

I have thought of ways I could pass on this lesson I learned. I wanted a plan of action. My plan was to have my kids start a book of sorts where they can record the things that they learn. I have begun compiling journal topics that they can use to interview them. As an end result, they will have a book as a record of their stories and therefore, a book of legacies. Some of the ideas I have researched have been truly inspiring.

My thought is to get the kids a journal. I really like these leather-bound journals. They will last forever and look beautiful for keeping these stories for generations.

Personalised notebook leather diary Personalized leather image 0

Here are some story starters to prompt the family legacy discussions:

  1. What was your neighborhood like?
  2. Tell me about your best friend?
  3. What did you do for fun?
  4. What are some memories you have of your family?
  5. Describe your relationship with your siblings?
  6. What did your house look like?
  7. What were your grandparents like?
  8. How did you do holidays in your home?
  9. What was your school like?
  10. What did you do after school?
  11. How did you get together as a couple?
  12. What was your wedding like?
  13. How did you live during your early years of parenting?

If you have smaller children or maybe you want something with a little more structure, there are also some really great books that help you get the process started.

Title
Child Geneology Workbook

Help your kids document the legacies in a structured workbook.

More
Title
Grandparents Memory Book

Add a little detail to some amazing story using heartfelt guided prompts.

More
Title
Heritage Journal

Go back in time and get a peek into the lives of your grandparents with a heritage journal.

More

Create a connection to create a family legacy

My time with my grandparents and the memories we made were a treasure I could never replace. My regret in learning more is something I don’t want to pass on to my kids so they will not only get the memories and fun, but they will get to know where they came from. Creating a connection can go deep when you know where someone came from. Its a gift not only to you and your kids but to the grandparents as well.

Make it a weekly or monthly thing. If you can’t physically get together, use video calling. Make a meal together and ask away. This isn’t just for kids either. You can do this as an adult with your own parents to pass down to your kids. Or if you’re lucky enough to have living grandparents, it’s never too late to learn.

Knowing where you came from

The point is, you can’t put a price on Grandparents’ roles and stories in a family legacy. Get it in writing so all the generations coming can know where they came from. Be creative and nostalgic. But most of all, have fun with it!

Grandmother the heart of a family legacy.
My beautiful mother who adores our kids so very much.

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About Christina

Christina Sawyer was born in New Jersey but moved to Florida when she was 2 years old.  She went to college at the University of Central Florida where she received a BS in Education.  She paid her way as an aerial acrobat in live shows in Orlando.  After teaching for a few years, it became clear performing was the life she wanted.  She met her husband performing in a stunt show together! At some point, amidst the performing, she began having kids and eventually left the performing world.  Now she works at home while homeschooling her 3 crazies and runs a crochet business. As an introverted extrovert, you might find her hiding in the corner of a busy room!

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We had the most amazing day today kayaking, swimm We had the most amazing day today kayaking,  swimming, floating, playing volleyball, eating, and chilling with great friends. The weather was spot on! We closed the place down because we just couldn’t stop having fun. @dotraveler 
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True #TrenchMomMoment. I got this amazing new Medi True #TrenchMomMoment. I got this amazing new Mediterranean cookbook. I’ve been making these awesome recipes and they have been absolutely delicious. Today I decided to try falafel. Things didn’t go as planned. I have no idea what happened. What I do know, this is NOT what #falafel is supposed to look like. I even made the most amazing #tahini and lemon sauce to go with it. Please. Please I beg you to make me feel better and give me your best #cookingfail. I feel pretty defeated in the kitchen at the moment. Oh. And our faucet broke in the shower so my handy husband is repairing it which means we have no water and I can’t cook something else. #crying
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Does the thought of moving make you want to bury y Does the thought of moving make you want to bury yourself under a pile of clothes and never come out? Yeah, me too. It’s quite possibly why I’ve only ever moved about 5 times in my life. However, the last time I moved, I did hire a moving company.⁠
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It may sound like an added cost over doing it yourself. Yes, things may be done your way. But at what cost? Let’s take a look at why you should choose a moving company and how to make that decision. Plus, we have one more reason to choose a moving company below.⁠
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There are several reasons why you should choose a moving company. Even if you’re moving locally, a reputable moving company such as Infinite Moving Company does a lot of the work for you. Consider these things a moving company can do for you.⁠
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Providing boxes, pads and other packing materials⁠
Wrapping special items for you to ensure they’re secure⁠
Packing your entire household, deliver it, and unpack it⁠
Giving you organizing tips, checklists, and perform a final sweep for forgotten items⁠
Loading and unloading in a certain order according to your preferences⁠
Again, while you could do it yourself and watch a ton of YouTube videos about the best way to pack and move, a team of professionals does this every day. They’ve seen and done it all.⁠
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Moving is stressful as it is. There are a lot of logistics to consider. Take one thing off your plate and hire a moving company.
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In this very strange time we’re living, sometime In this very strange time we’re living, sometimes adding a smile to someone’s face is as simple as a message. A #socialdistancingcard is a simple way to reach out and touch someone without touching! Get yours here and get creative with your #socialdistancing !  http://tidd.ly/10eca7de
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PUT DATE NIGHT ON YOUR CALENDAR⁠ Dating your spo PUT DATE NIGHT ON YOUR CALENDAR⁠
Dating your spouse sometime has to be intentional.  Plan it.  Get it on the calendar.  Make it a habit.  Get alone time in and dig down deep.  Do it for each other and your marriage. Finding ways to date your spouse can be fun all on its own. Do whatever you need to get some time with your spouse.  Trade babysitting with friends or have a date night at home after the kids go to bed.  Set aside a few dollars and pick something free or cheap.  It is so important and so very worth it.  Take pictures and lots of them and don’t be sorry you did.  Encourage your friends to do the same.  Form a group that encourages each other and keeps you accountable.⁠
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Between the three of us, we have, 16, 15, 15, 14, Between the three of us, we have, 16, 15, 15, 14, 11, 11, 7, & 6. ⁠
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Find a local county or state park and spend a night or two in the great outdoors. Even if you don’t have camping equipment or an RV, you can rent one through peer to peer sites such as Outdoorsy.⁠
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There might even be local camping events in your hometown. Recently, my hometown did a National Camp Out where about 50 families camped along the waterfront.⁠
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Are you adventurous? Take a kayak ride! Local pl Are you adventurous?  Take a kayak ride!  Local places rent them or maybe, if you’re really adventurous and plan to do this more often, find yourself one on Craig’s List or a local Facebook group.  There are some amazing nighttime bioluminescence tours which, when combined with dinner, make quite a romantic date night.⁠
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Do you live near nature trails or biking trails?  Find some local adventure.  Go on a hike, a bike ride, or walk to a lake or river.  Pack a picnic basket and make a day of it.  Fresh air and exercise can do amazing things to our brains and body not to mention our relationships.  The best part about this date is it is free!⁠
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This one is for all you athletic couples.  Find local climbing gyms and spend the day.  Being active together is a great way to have fun and stay connected and work together.  This one can tend to be a little more expensive but some gyms offer memberships if its something you may return to do more often.  Also, check Groupon for deals that you might be able to cash in on!⁠
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#date #dating #dateyourspoouse #marrieddating #datingadvice #datingtips  #relationshipsgoals #relationshipgoals #couplestuff #momlife #dadlife⁠
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Mine... I'll survive if only one more thing I woul Mine... I'll survive if only one more thing I would do to make sure that you can come over here and get it done.⁠
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Apparently I need your help! 😂⁠
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#questions #Questionoftheday #questiontime #askingforafriend #momsinthetrenches #momlife #momlifebelike #momlifehacks #momlifebalance
Need an idea for a Staycation?⁠
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SEE A SHOW!⁠
Many of the larger cities bring the Broadway Across America Tour series to their signature theater. This is an incredible and fun way to see Broadway-caliber shows, without going to New York. Make a night or weekend out of it and get dressed up, go out for a nice dinner, and see a show. There are over 30 cities in the US and more in Canda that offer these shows.⁠
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Even if you don’t go for the big names, check out your local youth theater. We often partner with Orlando Rep to see their extraordinary lineup of shows and they never disappoint. ⁠
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#travel #momswhotravel #kidswhotravel #travelmore #travelexperiences⁠ #staycation #springbreakideas #staycationideas⁠
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MAKE IT A NIGHT IN⁠ Staying in can be more fun t MAKE IT A NIGHT IN⁠
Staying in can be more fun than going out! YouTube has a multitude of date night painting at home videos. Do a simple search and modify for what you are looking for.  Grab some sushi, a selection of cheeses from your local grocery store, or whatever easy finger foods you like, and top it off with a bottle of your favorite wine.  You can find all the supplies easily at a local craft store or in an all-in-one kit.  This is a date that will be full of laughs and fun in your own home with minimal expense.⁠
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#date #dating #dateyourspoouse #marrieddating #datingadvice #datingtips  #relationshipsgoals #relationshipgoals #couplestuff #momlife #dadlife⁠
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 #momlifebelike #momlife #momlifehacks #momlifebalance⁠
I would say, not to listen to anyone else but your I would say, not to listen to anyone else but your heart.⁠
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#questions #Questionoftheday #questiontime #askingforafriend #momsinthetrenches #momlife #momlifebelike #momlifehacks #momlifebalance
Here at Moms in the Trenches, we do a lot of “lo Here at Moms in the Trenches, we do a lot of “love where you live” activities and posts. With active families, it’s not always possible to get away for a long vacation. Plus, sometimes you need staycation ideas to vacation on a budget.⁠
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Sometimes the best vacations are the ones that happen at home or on a staycation. We often overlook all there is to do in our own backyards, taking for granted the affordable ways to experience something new. That is what travel is after all, right? Having new experiences. I’ve come up with a few ideas on how to be a tourist in your hometown.⁠
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https://momsinthetrenches.com/staycation-ideas-for-the-whole-family/
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