In the past, families were united with three to four generations often living in the same household. The wisdom of the elders was passed down to succeeding generations. In our newer world, generations may live many miles apart and see each other infrequently.
Grandparents' Day is a step forward in pulling families back together. There is a reason the official flower of Grandparents' Day is the forget-me-not. With the pace of contemporary living, it is easy to put off a visit, a call, or a card.
If your children are old enough, they can be part of the plan to honor their grandparents. If the grandparents are close enough for a visit, children can help plan a party menu. Even a small child can help in the kitchen — perhaps deciding how to set a pretty table.
While gifts from a store are nice, a homemade gift from the children will be appreciated. One idea is to build a scrapbook for each set of grandparents (and today there are often more than two sets). Do a few pages then leave some pictures and scrapbooking materials for grandparents to add their own photos and comments.
Don't have any living grandparents? Don't let that stop you from celebrating the day. Contact your nearest assisted living facility and ask who never has a visitor. Then visit. Or if you have an elderly neighbor, invite him or her over for an afternoon. However you do it, make Sept. 8 a day to remember someone special.
