Sunday, otherwise known as Sept. 13, is National Grandparents Day. I would like to remind my grandchildren of that.
Being a grandparent is the greatest job in the world. Nobody believed me until they had their own grandchildren. That’s when they saw the light, especially my own children. I’ve always been proud of my children. Now I’m even more proud of them as grandparents because they have gone as ga-ga over their own grandchildren as I did over mine.
Of course that means I have great-grandchildren. In fact, my little family has been so busy I have lost track of how many great-grandchildren I have. I had to make a list. Between all the connections, reconnections and blended families I think the great-grandchild count is up to eight, and growing. That’s fine with me. I love it.
I searched for National Grandparents Day on the internet, and found out it is always the Sunday following Labor Day. (Mark that on your calendars grandkids!)
The National Grandparents Day website noted the following:
There is a special bond that can only be shared between grandchildren and their grandparents. Grandparents are full of hugs and kisses, family history, wisdom, patience, love and guidance. I can attest to that. Granddaughter has always said that one of her favorite pre-teen memories is when I’d build a bonfire on a cool autumn evening and tell the ghost stories my mother used to tell me. Granddaughter never got to meet her great-grandmother, so those evenings were special to me too.
The forget-me-not is the official flower for National Grandparents Day. Didn’t know that, and would be happy to accept a forget-me-not bouquet.
It is expected that the number of grandparents in the U.S will grow from 65 million in 2011 to 80 million in 2020 as a result of the baby boom. Good Grief! My list grows!
The statute proclaiming Grandparents Day says its purpose is, “…to honor grandparents, to give grandparents an opportunity to show love for their children’s children, and to help children become aware of strength, information, and guidance older people can offer.”
Grandparents Day has been celebrated in the United States since 1978. The U.S Senate and President Jimmy Carter nationally recognized Marian McQuade of Oak Hill, W.V., as the founder of National Grandparents Day. McQuade made it her goal to educate the youth in the community about the important contributions that seniors have made throughout history.
There are some people who claim the origin of this holiday resides with the efforts of Hermine Beckett Hanna of North Syracuse, N.Y., recognizing seniors and their importance as early as 1961. New York Congressman James T. Walsh recognized her efforts on Feb. 21, 1990, in front of the House of Representatives, thanking Hanna “for her important role in the establishment of Grandparents Day.”
Don’t care who started it. Just want someone to remind my grandchildren about it. Which I guess is what I’m doing right now. And I want to give my grandkids a gift.
Grandkids, forget the cards, the flowers, the gifts, and visit. I’d love to see you. And if you bring one of my great-grandkids along, that would even be GREATER, so to speak. And if that’s not possible, cause I know you are scattered throughout the U.S., then a text or an email will be enough.
And if you are not one of mine, well hey, you got a grandparent somewhere too, right? Be nice. Give ‘em a call.
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