neil

Most of us have various degrees of connection to our grandchildren. Some are close, some far, some young and some grown, some bloodline, some Step-Grands. No matter the case as a grandparent you are positioned perfectly in the family hierarchy to add special value to each of these treasures. We have a License to LOVE and make a significant difference. I have been a Grandparent for decades and have been working on ways to enhance my connection to my now […]

Some combinations go together better than others. How about a Glorious Sunrise with Grand and Great Grandkids, Easter Sonrise Service and then off to the Donut Shop. Now I may not be the best Grandpa on the planet but in the eyes of my Grandkids I stand tall. OK I admit to the unfair advantage of having an ocean on the East Coast. When I am wanting to see the kids I just mention in passing when I am talking […]

During this Covid mess You may find it harder to engage your Grandchildren. With the uneven opening up of visits, etc. it may not be a clear cut idea to find ways to meaningfully engage your Grands. I don’t just mean the usual, “How is school conversations”. I think it is important to drill down and really engage them when we do have the opportunity to connect with them. One of the things I have noticed is that more and […]

No I am not going to lecture on all that physics stuff. But i do have something that is equally important that is worth sharing. I have to apologize since I am not sure whose Facebook page I stole this from but as I said it is worth sharing with as many as I can. If you have any influence this would be a valuable thing to offer ; Imagine you were born in 1900.When you’re 14World War I begins […]

Anyone who reads my stuff knows that I am an incurable Optimist and for that I will not apologize.During this time of LOVING DISTANCING and with Thanksgiving day just two weeks away I want to throw down a challenge to each person reading this post. What if we were to dig deep into our vaults of memories and find those gems of Thanksgivings past. Once you have the memory you are at a fork in the road. One fork is […]

The most fortunate among you are those Grandparents with lots of memories, especially during this time of isolation. I have a few friends that spend their time in woulda, shoulda land. Last time I checked we don’t get many, if any, do overs. If you agree with that then the choice to reach back for those precious memories, those meaningful conversations becomes easier. We can choose to marinate in the good memories. Better yet is to get creative and be […]

As you all know I am a Gratitude kind of guy. I actually read my “Word of the Day” from Gratitude.org every morning 7 days a week. It reminds me of the ABUNDANCE in our lives. This week I am especially aware of how much Abundance I have in my life. This is the birthday week of my Extraordinary son Chuck and my Fabulous daughter Annie.I always describe my life’s success by stating that my grown children still like talking […]

I am always on the lookout for ways to add value to my most precious Grandkids. I write them all a newsletter each Sunday morning and I wanted to share some good stuff that came into my little brain yesterday. Hope you like it. You may recognize the opening line of one of my favorite poems, Desedarata; “Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, etc.” This is the beginning of the writings of Max Ehrmann, an American writer, poet […]

Children supervision and visitation are typical responsibilities of parents and family, but not always. Grandparents are always entangled in raising children in most families, and sometimes they may be the primary caretaker of the child. It is well known that parents are the prominent figures in child supervision, but grandparents can also have their say with respect to visitation rights and even custody. People have repeatedly asked what grandparents’ privileges are regarding their grandkids. This issue pops up almost instantly […]