Grandparents Without Role Models

Lisa Carpenter guest blogs at Grandmother Hen this week about grandparenting without a role model.  Her advice for those who didn't have doting Grandmas or Papas is so good:

"Because I don’t have a model of exemplary grandmothering in my life, I buy books written by grandmas, books filled with grandmotherly advice. I read blogs of grandmas excelling at the grandma gig. I nurture relationships with the grandmothers in my circle of friends, look to them as mentors, ask them for advice. And I even home in on fictional grandmother characters in books and movies. I file away for future use the things they do, say and are, that I as a grandma want to do, say and be."

I agree that we need to be intentional about making ourselves the kind of grandparents we'd like to be.  I personally had terrific grandparents here in my hometown, where we used to spend the night probably once a week, drink black cows, and watch Lawrence Welk.  Wonderful times!  I also had a grandma we visited in Wyoming, who taught us kids killer instincts for board games, and how to enjoy a good book.

Papa on the other hand didn't know his grandparents, but has really chosen to give our little girls the kind of grandparenting he would have loved.  So far, it's working out fine.