How can we be good grandparents? It’s not the same as being parents, though some of the same guidelines apply. We must never forget that Christianity is more caught than taught, and parents are meant to model as well as teach the fatherhood of God. As grandparents, we are not normally the main providers of care for the young – just the support troops. Perhaps our most important role is to be available for them when we see them and to give them a ‘special’ time when they come to stay with us (not always easy as we get older and energy diminishes). ‘Can we have the “making box” out?’ and ‘Can we help in the garden?’ are two of the usual requests when one family comes to stay. Or we may initiate them into a new game or skill. Wondering how to entertain a 13-year-old visitor, we introduced him to playing squash. He got hooked – and we got exhausted!

Michael and Rosemary Green reflect on the joy – and the sometimes tough challenges – of being grandparents Subscribe to Families First to read the whole article.