May 8, 2009
Mother’s Day: Lessons learned from Grandmother
Loving mothers and grandmothers give of themselves unselfishly. However, in the back of their minds they may sometimes wonder, “Have I taught them enough? Do they know this or that?” Sometimes on a discouraging day they may think, “Oh, I haven’t really made any impact on the world. I’m just a mom. I’m just a grandma.”
All I really need to know I learned from my Grandmother. ~Charles E. Smoot
One of the favorite gifts I have received from my adult children took me be surprise. The gift was a journal titled “Lessons I Have Learned.” They pointed out the kind of impact I had had upon them. They had filled in the first few pages — each of them writing about lessons they had learned from me that have been valuable to them — with the idea that I would finish filling in the journal with lessons I’ve learned. You know, preserving some of that hard earned wisdom we adults are always claiming we have. 
Even though of my own grandmother died when I was young, I remember visiting her. I remember feeling her love for me. She always made me feel accepted for who I was and made me feel welcome and wanted in her home.
This year, I encourage you to take a few moments and write down some of those gems of wisdom you have learned from your grandmother. If she is still alive, you will surprise and delight her. Or share them with the special people in your life: your grandchildren, children, or parents.
By sharing the lessons that you have learned from your grandmother, you will not only validate her, but you’ll also let her know of ways she has helped you that she may never have realized. This can be a more personal and touching gift than a dozen roses or another knickknack.
What are some of the valuable lessons you have learned from your grandmother? We look forward to reading your comments.
Wishing a happy Mother’s Day to each of our dear readers, mothers, and grandmothers.
- Grammy Tanda
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Filed under Grandparents, Holidays by Grammy Tanda
Comments on Mother’s Day: Lessons learned from Grandmother »
Happy Mother’s Day to all mamas and grandmas, too!
Hi, I had a wonderful grandma who taught me to love roses, zucchini, and kitty cats
I was blessed to be able to spend the last couple of years visiting her extra often and appreciated that special time with her and my grandpa! They’ve been in heaven for over 30 years but I still think of both of them often and miss them! 
Thanks for these great memories and the terrific article 
What a wonderful idea. Thanks for sharing.
tDMg
Kathryn Skaggs
Tanda,
What a great reminder to tell our loved ones how much they have influenced us! I love your perspective of what we have learned for grandmothers (or mothers). When we stop to think aout it, they have probably strongly influenced our morals and self-esteem.
My passion is to help people preserve their family stories, either by writing what they have experienced or by interviewing our elders. The more we can involve our children and grandchildren, the more they will realize that “old people” are also “real people.”
Keep up the good work! And happy Mother’s Day to everyone.
Beth LaMie
http://www.bethlamie.com
just found your blog, nice info
Enjoyed how you tied the generations together through lessons learned. I’m writing about similar issues on my blog about parenting adult children. http://www.grownchildren.net
I, unfortunately, didn’t have a lot of time with my grandparents. My Dad was in the Air Force and we moved often. On top of that, neither of my parents had good relationships with their parents. I missed out on a lot, but instead of regretting my own loss, I’m determined to be a gracious, fun, and available grandma to my 3 g-kids. Mady is 2.5 and the twins were just born yesterday, and they live an hour away. As soon as I knew about Mady’s birth, several yrs ago, I began advertising for piano students in their hometown, and now I am getting paid to see her, and now them, every Monday!
This is an excellent post!!! It’s such a great idea and a good reminder for me to treasure my grandmothers, both in body and in spirit. I lost my beloved grandfather in January of this year and now only have 1 living grandparent: his wife, my beautiful, beloved grandmother. I need to take the time to cherish every moment with her AND let her know how much she means to me. Thank you so much for sharing this article…and the cartoon is adorable!
Isn’t it so true of some grandmothers! Personally my grandmother was not one to impart much wisdom to my or my siblings, though I often wish she were the sort to do so. I think its a special role for all grandparents to play with their children and grandchildren.
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[...] Tanda wrote a mother’s day post about the lessons she has learned from her Grandmothers. And I’ve been thinking about the lessons I’ve learned from my two Grandfathers and [...]