These reviews are honest responses to what I as a reader and a grandmother have learned and gained
by reading the books. They have helped me along my grand-parenting journey. I hope they help you, too!
If grandkids are heading your way for the weekend, and you are fretting about how to entertain them while staying sane, run to your local bookstore and pick up a copy of 100 Plus Things to Do with Your Grandchildren: a How-To Guide for Grandparents by Jana Dube Hletko and Lynn Zacny Busby. These ladies know a lot about activities little ones consider fun; they have a combined total of 16 grandchildren!
The authors have packed their wisdom into a no-nonsense “cookbook” list of activities divided into three categories: indoor fun, outdoor fun, and on-the-go fun. Indoor activities include making jam (an activity I plan to do with my grandkids this summer), woodworking, and playing board games. Outdoor activities include washing your car, bird watching, and playing pirate games. On-the-go activities include trips to the beach, to a fire station and to volunteer opportunities.
As I write this, most of the country is on lockdown because of COVID-19. The on-the-go activities must wait for several months, but the indoor/outdoor activities are designed to have fun at your house. A friend was concerned about how she would keep her three grandchildren entertained (and herself sane) while their parents worked. I gave her a copy of this book, and she considers it a lifesaver. I rate 100 Plus Things to Do with Your Grandchildren 5/5 stars!
Jerry Witkovsky, author of The Grandest Love: Inspiring the Grandparent-Grandchild Connection, is the grandpa every child wants to love. He believes a strong grandparent-grandchild connection starts with a strong grandparent-parent bond. He advocates family meetings, a family vision statement, and interdependence — each generation becoming the teacher, as necessary. He gives readers the tools — fun, easy-to-use worksheets and exercises — they need to form their family organizations.
The author backs up his convictions with heartwarming personal stories, memories of his grandparents, and letters from his grandchildren that describe the lessons they learned from him and his late wife, Margaret.
Perhaps one of the greatest features of the book is a discussion of the power of forgiveness and how to mend hurts with children. Without a strong grandparent-parent relationship, visits with grandchildren will be infrequent or non-existent, and no grandparent wants that. Regardless of a grandparent’s relationship with his or her children and grandchildren, this book will help you make the bond between generations stronger. I rate this book 5/5 stars!
Pam Siegel and Leslie Zinberg encourage readers ─ grandparents ─ to slow down and learn how to communicate deeply with their grandchildren by teaching mindfulness. I embrace this philosophy because I am a “let’s enjoy the journey” kind of person. Some of my favorite memories are of sailing along the Chesapeake Bay. Whether the destination was Onancock on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, Solomons Island in Southern Maryland, or St. Michael’s on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, it was secondary to the journey itself. Feeling the spray of the water and seeing the wind fill the sails were the exhilarating features of the adventure. Arriving at the destination was a time to renew the body with food, beverage and sleep; relive unfurling the jib or spinnaker by talking about the day’s sail; and rejoice about nature’s beauty and arriving safely.
Grandparenting: Renew, Relive, Rejoice provides grandparents with a blueprint to begin the intergenerational mindfulness journey. The authors explain the nine core principles and weave 52 stories (contributed by their friends) around those basics. They link specific activities, including savoring snacks, listening to their bodies as relaxation, playing the mystery scent game, to each of the stories to help grandparents and grandchildren reap the benefits of an “enjoy-the-journey” lifestyle. The best part? It costs very little money.
Mindfulness is about values, not things! Another lesson the authors want families to take away is that these activities are not a list of “once-and-done,” but a way of life that will strength generational bonds, in particular, and relationships, in general. Mindfulness ─ slow down and live each day with purpose ─ not only enhances grandchildren’s daily lives, it enhances their academic journeys and becomes another part of a grandparent’s legacy. I rate this book 5/5 stars!
Backroads & Byways of Virginia: Drives, Day Trips & Weekend Excursions is a fabulous guide to Virginia. Bill Lohmann, a columnist for the Richmond-Times Dispatch, is a natural storyteller. He introduces readers to the everyday folk who call Virginia Home. Not only does he point out the lesser-known points of interests, he includes fabulous eateries where locals hang out. The book includes maps and pictures to help you find your way across the commonwealth. I rate this book 5/5 stars!