Though I think we must honor dads on Father’s Day, I believe granddads are equally important to remember. Mine was a great gift in my life. He was the link to other generations in my family, one of my most important teachers, and the man in my life who loved me unconditionally.
A grandfather can be a grandchild’s most important mentor, role model and guide, and is a critical influence on their growth and success. According to AARP, researchers have determined “that grandchildren who have a close relationship with a grandfather are more likely to perform well in school, display positive emotional adjustment, have higher self-esteem, and a greater ability to develop and maintain friendships.”
Grandfathers are the great story tellers. They keep the family’s history alive by passing on the details to new generations. They recount first hand how life has changed culturally and technologically through the ages. They teach powerful lessons by relating the joys, hard times, and even mistakes in their own life experience.
Because grandfathers generally need not fulfill parental responsibilities, their relationships with grandchildren are more open and relaxed. Without the fear of judgment and reprisal, grandchildren are more willing to confide fears, ask difficult questions, and entrust their most guarded secrets.
A grandfather’s wisdom is highly respected, and their suggestions more readily followed. Their behavior and actions can set the standard for the kind of man a grandson may become or the kind of man a granddaughter may choose to marry. They have the power and opportunity to teach their grandchildren important life values like loyalty, patience, perseverance and self-sacrifice. Grandfathers should fulfill this sacred obligation to their grandchildren, and their grandchildren should honor them for doing so.
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