Grandparent Encouragement Officer (GEO): Creating Beautiful Connections with Grandchildren w/ Kerry Byrne, PhD

Older Women & Friends

Are you a grandparent who will spend time with your grandchildren, particularly around the holidays? If not, how will you share and engage with your grandchildren from a distance at any time of year?

There are 47 million grandparents in the United States, with an average age of 67. This may be a surprise: 71 percent of grandparents are still working. So, what can these grandparents do to nurture the relationship? How can they engage? How can a grandparent be the GEO, Grand Parent Officer?

Kerry Byrne is a researcher, collaborator, and entrepreneur in aging, care, and connection. She is the Founder of The Long Distance Grandparent, a mission-driven business, that helps grandparents build strong bonds with their grandchildren – no matter the distance between them.

There is so much to unpack in this episode of "Older Women & Friends." Perhaps most important are the stories grandparents share, stories that show a grandparent facing challenges, floundering, and then succeeding. These stories are important for generations to come. Even if it seems as if a grandchild is not listening, she is.

Kerry outlines many things that a grandparent can do to foster and nurture a relationship that is beneficial for everyone. Among these suggestions is the over-arching importance of a grandchild feeling seen, heard, and listened to. There are many ways to accomplish this goal:

* Engage in what a grandchild does and your activities as well

* If you're still working, share your job. Mail some selfies of you in the workplace. Text or write about some of the challenges.

* If you can't be there for holidays like Thanksgiving, come up with a game like the Gratitude Game. (Listen to the episode to find out how the game is played.)

* Mention qualities of a grandchild that you admire: a good listener, a good friend, a good fill-in-the-blank.

* Relish your high-quality relationships and how your example creates a generation of less ageist generations.

Like any relationship, the one between grandparent and grandchild is a lot of work. You juggle not only that connection but the one with your children and your own. But the payoffs are worth the time, energy, and creativity.

You can assume your role as Grandparent Encouragement Officer (GEO) and create beautiful connections.

https://thelongdistancegrandparent.com/

https://www.instagram.com/thelongdistancegrandparent/p/CcQ-ryLLMj9/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerry-byrne-phd-20953528/?originalSubdomain=ca