{"id":240900,"date":"2025-09-30T08:56:31","date_gmt":"2025-09-30T13:56:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/legacycoalition.ca\/?p=240900"},"modified":"2025-09-30T08:56:32","modified_gmt":"2025-09-30T13:56:32","slug":"7-everyday-ways-to-invest-in-your-grandkids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/legacycoalition.ca\/es\/7-everyday-ways-to-invest-in-your-grandkids\/","title":{"rendered":"7 maneras cotidianas de invertir en tus nietos"},"content":{"rendered":"

Escrito por Judy Douglass, autora, bloguera y podcaster.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grandparenting is certainly one of my favorite seasons of life. I love being with my nine grandkids, and I love that they are my children\u2019s responsibility. I come away from time with them energized and exhausted. I get to exercise creativity and exhibit calming peace. They renew my youth and reveal how old I am.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grandchildren are one of my most important life investments. I\u2019ve spent a lifetime investing in my own life\u2014discovering and developing into the person God created me to be, doing what he made me for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, I have spent decades seeking to do the same for my children. Now I can come alongside my children to contribute to their efforts to do the same for their kiddos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grandparenting is a stewardship responsibility and opportunity. Here are seven ways I invest in my very loved grandkids:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Cuddle<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A true life highlight, for me, is holding a sleeping baby. All other life stops. If someone says, \u201cCan I take her for you?\u201d or Do you want to eat lunch?\u201d or \u201cCan you take this call?\u201d\u2014the answer is always the same. \u201cNo thanks. I\u2019m good.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A couple of weeks ago, I was caring for my (probably) last grandbaby. He became fretful, missing his mama. I picked him up, cuddled him, sang to him, talked softly to him, and prayed for him. He fell asleep!! And for an hour and a half, I contentedly rested on the sofa, cuddling that sleeping baby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Comfort<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Comforting grandkids will probably last for the rest of my life. A baby needs comforting when his tummy hurts. A toddler cries when Mommy and Daddy leave. A pre-schooler\u2019s skinned knee requires a kiss. Learning to read can be formidable for some.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Middle school is a social nightmare, and the academic structure is daunting. In high school, friends can be unkind, and hearts are often broken. And then the future can be frightening. Grandparents can give comfort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Tell Stories<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Usually, the second question (after, \u201cWhat did you bring us?\u201d) my young grandsons would ask when I arrived was, \u201cWill you tell us a story?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I love telling stories. Sometimes I make them up. Often, I let them join in, and a simple story suddenly includes dark woods, wolves, and themselves as superheroes. Their favorites, though, were stories from mom or dad\u2019s childhood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stories serve so many purposes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • Engaging with the child<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Expanding imagination<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Encouraging creativity<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Building on family history<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Conveying values<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    4. Listen<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    When they are young, we listen to their chatter, even if we can\u2019t understand a word, and respond with smiles and affirming words. As their verbal skills improve, so must our listening skills. Ask questions, hear their answers, engage in evolving conversation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Then, when they are older, they might open up, share hearts and hurts, desires and dreams. You might be the one they come to talk to about faith, the future, and family, all because you listened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    5. Love<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    Family love can be assumed. Some of us speak it often, and children are taught to speak love to their grandparents. But how do we show love to others before them\u2014their parents, their grandparents? And do we live out love to them. Do they sense it is more than words? The apostle John urges us, \u201cLet us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.\u201d<\/em> (1 John 3:18)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Will we give them priority over our online activities or our TV watching? Will we attend their sports events in the sweltering summer months or the icy winter days? Will we give them attention or gifts they really desire? Will we intentionally seek to guide them into truth and wisdom?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    6. Live Grace<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    The writer of Hebrews invites us: \u201cLet us then approach God\u2019s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.\u201d<\/em> (Hebrews 4:16)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    We are called into relationship with God via grace, and we are urged to pass that grace on to everyone we can (including our grandkids). This will happen most effectively as they observe grace in our lives:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    • Speaking truth with kindness<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Keeping peace in stressful times<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Forgiving those who hurt us<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Sacrificing our comfort for others<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • And, of course, sharing the love of God with them.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      7. Pray<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

      Oh, c\u00f3mo deseamos ver a nuestros nietos crecer y convertirse en hombres y mujeres fuertes, sanos, sabios y amorosos, con buen car\u00e1cter, que busquen primero a Dios, que se conviertan en las personas que Dios ha creado para que sean, que hagan las buenas obras que Dios ha preparado para ellos. Queremos ser buenos administradores de las vidas que se nos han confiado.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      We certainly move in that direction as we do all the actions listed here. But that is no guarantee of the rich legacy we yearn for. We must go to that throne of grace and beseech the one who can weave our efforts with our children\u2019s efforts and the responses of beloved grandchildren into the likeness of Christ, living in love and grace, serving others, loving God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      We must pray for them. Often. Specifically. About everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Bonus: Two Ways to Invest in Your Grandkids on Special Occasions<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      1. Give Enriching Gifts<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

      My husband told our kids they shouldn\u2019t have any more children (he was joking) because we couldn\u2019t afford my \u201cgrandmother gifting\u201d habit. I love giving to my grandkids, and I believe it is a vital part of investing in their lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      I do give some toys and trinkets, especially things they really want. But these are my most important, often intangible, gifts:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      • Books: for every birthday and every Christmas<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Imagination: art supplies, building sets, pretend props, hand puppets, and so much more<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Action: active playthings, sports equipment, and anything to keep them moving<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Experiences: outings, the beach, mountains, and theme parks\u2014Gatorland was a favorite<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Time: things to do with me, quiet moments, face time, and the time they don\u2019t know about when I pray<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

        2. Create Adventures<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

        My children all love adventure, and it seems their children do too. We have a family vacation every other summer, and it always includes some adventures. Even with babies and toddlers along, the majority have been able, over the years, to raft wild white water, ride horses on steep mountain trails, zip across Colorado canyons, hike mountains, and this past summer, zipline across the Royal Gorge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Other adventures have occurred at the beach, sitting on a gator, holding a python, getting soaked at Animal Kingdom River Rapids, or skimming across a swamp on an airboat. They\u2019ve also explored museums, aquariums, and caves, learned to fish, and much more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        What about you? How do you invest in the future of your grandkids?<\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        Oh, c\u00f3mo deseamos ver a nuestros nietos crecer y convertirse en hombres y mujeres fuertes, sanos, sabios y amorosos, con buen car\u00e1cter, que busquen primero a Dios, que se conviertan en las personas que Dios ha creado para que sean, que hagan las buenas obras que Dios ha preparado para ellos. Queremos ser buenos administradores de las vidas que se nos han confiado.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":240551,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-240900","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-generational-living"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/legacycoalition.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Power-of-a-Grandparents-Legacy.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/legacycoalition.ca\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/240900","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/legacycoalition.ca\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/legacycoalition.ca\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legacycoalition.ca\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legacycoalition.ca\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=240900"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/legacycoalition.ca\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/240900\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":240903,"href":"https:\/\/legacycoalition.ca\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/240900\/revisions\/240903"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legacycoalition.ca\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/240551"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/legacycoalition.ca\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=240900"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legacycoalition.ca\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=240900"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legacycoalition.ca\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=240900"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}