Grandma's Pearls

I would like to invite you to join me on a journey. On November 1st, 2003, my mother died of pancreatic cancer. Her passing meant not just that I had lost a cherished family member, or that our community had lost a compassionate human being, but as a grandma she had a plethora of "pearls" on nearly any topic of child rearing, and these were gone with her as well. When I became a pediatrician in 1988, I would tap into her common-sense knowledge on a regular basis. Through the years, I found that many of my pediatric patients' grandparents enjoyed sharing their words of wisdom with me in my office, and I found these pearls especially valuable when I started my own family over ten years ago.

The journey I'm proposing is a shared attempt to capture this vast collection of accumulated wisdom on my blog. "Grandma's Pearl's" will celebrate a very special group of individuals who deserve to have a forum for sharing their hard-earned life lessons with others. It will be a compilation of advice from grandparents from all walks of life...capturing the insights of the grandparent-next-door, to the still-out-in-the workforce grandparent, to more.

My hope is that "Grandma's Pearls" will be a ray of inspiration for both new parents and experienced parents alike. Not a "how-to" manual on baby care, but rather a collection of practical, no-nonsense tips on how to raise good kids. You can share a couple of sentences, a paragraph, or a full-blown story if you'd like. I welcome you to share your pearls of wisdom and wit with the world!

Questions (these are suggestions only)....substitute in "dad, grandfather," etc. where appropriate:

  1. What tips do you (or passed down from your mother, mother-in-law, or grandmother) have on raising caring, happy, responsible, and well-adjusted kids?

  2. What did you (or your mom) do right, and/or what could have been done better?

  3. Was there a transforming moment in your (or your mom's) life that served as a guide in raising children? As a result of this moment, is there a "pearl" to pass on?

  4. Do you have a favorite "grandmotherly" quote that has helped you in parenting your children?

To submit a "pearl" click on:

Pearls

Thanks!

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

My Grandmother, My Best Friend

The following entry is from Deborah, who is one of those lovely people you instantly feel drawn to. She's from Great Britain, so imagine the following pearls relayed with a beautiful, elegant, British accent....


My Grandmother meant the world to me, her passing a year after my marriage left me utterly devastated. That was fifteen years ago, and it still hurts. She was not only my Grandmother, but my best friend, she taught me to love unconditionally and furnished me with endless wisdom, she was a remarkable woman and I miss her dearly. I hope I have managed to pass on to my children at least some of what she taught me, I know I hear myself saying to them things she would often say to me. So I would like to share them with you, my Grandmother’s ‘pearls of wisdom’.

Always have faith, hope and love in your life.

Respect your elders,

Look to the young for your example, they have no preconceptions, their innocence is beautiful to behold.

Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today.

What goes around comes around.

Never judge a book by its cover.

All that glitters isn’t gold.

Be nice to people on the way up, because you might meet them on the way down.

The glass is always half full – no question!

Boredom is not in our dictionary.

Live each day as if it were your last.



I have always tried to live my life with these pearls ever present in my mind.

Deborah