Once upon a time, in old books and films, grandparents were kindly, gentle old souls who sat by the fire in a rocking chair. They would cook a Sunday roast and slip you a sixpence if you were good. The grandmothers wore slippers and housecoats; grandfathers wore slippers and smoked pipes.

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The grandparents of today are not like that, thank goodness. They are the baby-boomer generation, the children of the Sixties who are more likely to serve a Moroccan-influenced feast than a traditional Sunday roast. They text, send emails, chat over zoom and FaceTime and reminisce about the Beatles or the Stones, and if you catch them knitting – well, it’s probably because it’s currently all the rage.

The majority of children in the UK today have living grandparents (half even have great-grandparents) and they get to see them a lot, with 60 per cent of childcare provided by grandparents. On average, children see their grandparents at least once a week. And, according to a survey by the Early Learning Centre, these grandparents are wealthier, healthier and more technologically savvy than ever before. Also, according to a study by Oxford University and the Institute of Education, grandparents who are involved with their grandchild’s upbringing also contribute to their wellbeing. Simple intergenerational-friendly activities like reading or shopping together also boost child development, according to an Australian study which followed 10,000 families over four years. The study revealed that children aged from three months to 19 months had higher learning scores if they were cared for by grandparents as well as their parents.

On average, children see their grandparents at least once a week.

So, what’s the trick? Well, it’s not that grandparents are younger than those of previous generations, but that they seem younger, says Jackie Highe, author of The Modern Grandparents Guide. Highe, at 60 years of age, went scuba diving, cycling and horse riding with her own grandchildren. In the old days, grandparents tended to hand over the reins once their children had children “and sort of settled down into nothingness,” says Highe. Today’s grandparents are having none of that, preferring, like Highe, to take an active part in their grandchildren’s lives.

However, to keep things harmonious, parents and grandparents should be aware that sometimes a delicate path has to be tread, for intergenerational relationships to work. Ground rules are important.

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modern grandparents
The Modern Grandparents Guide by Jackie Highe

So what are the special skills can grandparents offer?

Well first of all, children love to hear family folklore, whether it’s about their great-grandfather’s eleven siblings or the adventurous brother who was killed by a grizzly bear in Yellowstone National Park. “A grandparent is, after all, a link in the human chain that reaches back through centuries,” observed Joan Bakewell. “The link gives us our background, our heritage and, we now understand, our genes.”

For grandparents whose memory is a bit hazy, kick-start some reminiscing about ‘the olden days’ by making them a gift of the Grandparents’ Journal. Some have pockets for photographs and sections to catalogue your family history, childhood memories and family traditions – and can makes a great project for grandchildren and grandparents to do together.

SHOPPING EDIT >> See our pick of the 5 best grandparents journals below

Grandparents are also the ideal people to pass on traditional skills – cooking from scratch, simple carpentry, sewing and knitting – all the canny accomplishments that are back in fashion. “Grandparents are the only ones who can pass on traditional pastimes and knowledge to another generation,” says Jane Fearnley-Whittingstall, author of The Good Granny Guide. “Today, parents often don’t have the time, but grandparents often enjoy making paper boats, rolling out pastry, picking up their dropped stitches – all great ways to enjoy each other’s company.” As a garden designer, Fearnley-Whittingstall’s absolute favourite thing to do with her grandchildren is to get out in the garden, plant bulbs or sow seeds, and to show them how snapdragons and foxgloves got their names.

Grandparents are the only ones who can pass on traditional pastimes and knowledge to another generation
Jane Fearnley-Whittingstall, author of The Good Granny Guide.

And of course, part of the fun of going to the grandparents’ house should be the thrill of doing things that are taboo at home. Many a Facebook or Instagram post is about what the kids can get away with at Granny's house. Ice cream on demand and chocolate bisuits before dinner spring to mind! And Fearnley-Whittingstall offers her TV-chef son Hugh’s children the usually forbidden white bread. “I checked with their parents that it is OK to have different rules in our house about chocolate and sweets, television-watching and bedtimes,” she says. “So yes, white bread is considered a treat, and I keep a biscuit tin on a high shelf, just as my grandmother did – but unfortunately the older ones can now reach it if they stand on a chair!”

the-good-granny-guide
The Good Granny Guide by Jane Fearnley-Whittingstall

But it’s not about spoiling your grandchildren rotten or being their slave. “It’s about devotion, mutual trust, you being there for them and them knowing this,” says Jackie Highe. “It’s like having the wizard Merlin and the fairy godmother on permanent tap.”

But take heed grandparents, you too can sometimes be guilty of getting carried away. As comedian Michael McIntyre says, "You don't get much fun as adults, do you? The most fun we get is revolving doors". Suddenly re-enacting childood all over again, with the grandchildren, makes absolute sense.


5 Beautiful Grandparents Journals to help them share their life story with their grandchildren

stories-for-my-grandchild

This gorgeously designed journal is for Grandma's to jot down their fondest memories, their own life story and record their own hopes and dreams for her precious grandchildren to read later >> NORDICSTORK Stories For My Grandchild A Grandmother's Journal, £16.99 Notonthehighstreet

letters to my grandchildren

This paper time capsule becomes a priceless heirloom for generations to cherish - with a collection of twelve letters you can be filled with words of wisdom, postdated, seal with the included stickers, and gifted in this keepsake paper time capsule for future opening. >> Letters to My Grandchild: Write Now. Read Later. Treasure Forever, £9.83, Amazon

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A gorgeous keepsake that the children and their grandparents can enjoy reading together illustrated with humorous drawings of a polar bear family, that is printed to order with your personal details to make this unique story book. >> Personalised Grandparent And Me Book, £19.95. Letterfest

grandparents journal

For those that may need some help the guided questions and prompts make this easy to fill in and includes an inside back cover pocket holds documents and mementos to share with your grandchild. >> Memories for My Grandchild (Deluxe, Cloth-bound Edition), £14, Peter Pauper Press

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For those who may need a little help this one is prompted with thoughtful, guided questions on each page and designed to inspire your grandfather to capture some of his life's key memories, experiences and feelings and tell his story his way. With hand drawn nostalgic illustrations, high-quality note paper add photographs or memorabilia. >> From Me to You Dear Grandad 'Journal of a Lifetime', £17, notonthehighstreet ** There is also a Dear Grandma version

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