As the end of summer holidays approaches you can feel the excitement (and anxiety) growing. Fall is almost here which means back to school for all the kiddies. Everybody is looking forward to the new daily schedule (for a while, anyway). It's becoming busy, busy, busy again and often moms are overwhelmed with fulfilling everybody's needs. It might be preparing the little ones for their first day in kindergarten, shopping for new shoes for the bigger kids or helping the older guys search for stuff for their dorm rooms. You are swamped. Right, Mom?
Enter 'Fairy Godmother Grandma.' She knows what she's doing. She got her kids through school, didn't she? Here are 10 ways Gran can help lighten your load at back-to-school time. Make use of her. She's practical, she knows how to offer emotional support; she'll love it and so will you and the kids!
1. Back-to-school shopping
True, Mom knows what's best for her children so we'll leave the real 'heavy lifting' to the parent. However, there are all those extra little supplies that the kids would love to have but the family budget can't be stretched any further. Grandma might like to take care of those. It's great bonding time for her and the kids, and a trip to the dollar store will be a sweet treat for both of them. I just bought my granddaughter magnets that look like wads of used chewing gum for her locker (ewww...). That little purchase has helped build her back to school excitement. She can't wait to show them to her friends.
2. Grandchild starting a new school this term?
Enter Grandma with her point-and-shoot camera. With young student in tow, visit the school and share your camera with them. Together, take photos of the things you notice about the building. Explore the outside of the school. See if the doors open. Talk about how heavy the doors look and what they are made of. Check to see if there is a playground. You can even shoot a tiny video with the child explaining what they like or don't like (clues for further chats) about the school, etc. These photographs will make great memories and will certainly help the student acclimatize to their new hall of learning.
3. Grandkids love stories
They always want to know if their parents did their homework or got into trouble at school. Grandma can use this as a wonderful opportunity to get back at her grown children by talking about any mischief they were involved in. Of course, she'll only use these as parables for 'good behaviour' and the things not to do (chuckle). P.S. If you have one of your old report cards share it. Guaranteed it will interest them and stimulate conversation about 'the good old days.'
4. Offer a back to school gift
It's a sweet way to calm any last minute jitters. Create a small gift-wrapped package with an accompanying note that says, 'Do not open until the day before the first day of school.' In it Grandma can offer some sort of fun grooming product. For the guys it might be hair gel or 'manly' shampoo. For the girls it can be hair clips or lip gloss.
5. In return request a gift from each grandchild
Ask each student to sign a note promising Grandma a gift of some artwork that they will create during this new school year. Tell them you will frame it and show them where you will hang their creation. I don't care how old the young person is, I know they will think about it and fulfill their promise.
6. Encourage your grandkids to text you
Practice with them before school starts. Let them know that if there is a problem during and after school and their parents can't be reached you will be there for them either by phone or via cyberspace.
7. Older grandkids moving out and going off to college?
Ask them to pop by and see if they can use any of Gran's mismatched dishes, cooking utensils, old linens, lamps, etc to decorate their student digs. They love retro stuff and grandma won't need to hold yet another lawn sale.
8. Take over for mom and dad
In our very busy world parents of school-age kids are swamped with demands on their time. Grandma can help lighten their load by taking over for her son or daughter if they don't have the time to fulfill their 'class monitor' duties. Grandma always gets a Gold Star for that one.
9. Offer to help with initial school projects
Let your son and daughter know that you are perfectly happy to help your grandchildren with extra school projects if needed. I have a wonderful personal memory of helping my grade-four grandson with posters for his student election campaign. We had so much fun together and we high-fived each other when he won.
10. Free online courses for every Grandma
There's a wonderful website called, Coursera (https://www.coursera.org/) where anyone can take the best courses from prominent professors in prominent universities, online, and free of charge. There's everything from Social Psychology to SongWriting to Everything You Want to Know About Climate Change. It's an incredible site and a perfect opportunity for Gran to learn more about this great big world we live in.
Happy Back to School Everybody!
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