Your First Grandchild: The Survival guide for every new grandparent: Useful, touching and hilarious guide for first-time grandparents

Product Information

This “hot off the press” book takes a look at the ways grandparenting used to be done, what still works, and explores new ideas in child-rearing. It’s part practical advice and part inspiration for the monumental task of becoming a grandparent for the first time. The book is divided into chapters that take the reader through the grandchild’s first year and serves as a resource for new grandparents. In addition, these books take a serious look at the joys and challenges of being a grandparent. How much time will you spend with your grandchildren? What will they call you? Will you babysit? Who makes the rules? Oh, there are lots of things to talk about. Jillian is worried that loving her stepdad’s mom, her new Bubbe, will be a betrayal to her other grandparents. Her mom encourages Jillian to give Bubbe a chance and Jillian soon realizes her heart is big enough for all her three grandmas. She invites them all for a soup dinner and it’s a delicious, heart-expanding time. “ Like soup, family was made with love. And there was always room for more.“ A lyrical story of a boy’s memories of his abuelo. The boy’s abuelo teaches him that there are many ways to be strong, fuerte ; that it’s good to laugh, es bueno reirse ; and to look, mira , at the stars. Even when the boy moves to the big city, his abuelo is always with him in spirit. I love all the expressions on the characters’ faces. You know exactly what they’re thinking. Even the minor characters appear to have vivid lives. They’re all thinking something, they’re all real.

Your First Grandchild: A Useful, Touching and Hilarious Guide for First-time Grandparents by Peggy Vance and Claire Nielson There was always stuff that needed doing in my grandparents garden and I was always more than keen to help out. I have many fond memories of them from when I was very young. I stayed with my grandparents while my little sister was being born. In these ways, my grandparents took on parenting responsibilities—as well as helping my mum out.

What things matter most to you in life?

I can’t remember who said this, but it’s something I heard and always have lived by: a good picture book empowers the child. In this book we do have the traditional fragile looking granny, by the fire with the blanket, and a little girl who just wants to make her feel better. We don’t know what’s wrong with granny, which I think is nicely done. Is she ill or just feeling a bit sad? The child is empowered in the story to cheer her granny up. She takes the initiative: I’m going to go and make granny better. Fun to Do: The last thing you want to give grandparents is another chore. The memory book should be fun to complete and fill them with excitement to pass down their most cherished memories. If they are reluctant, give them the book at a time when you’re together and have the grandchild ask the questions while someone else records the answers in the book. For a fun family activity, the " Memories for My Grandchild Keepsake Journal" is easy to complete and simple to share with friends and family once it’s done. For a special memento that’s geared for one grandchild, " Letters to My Grandchild" is a nice mix of prompts and open-ended writing. What to Look for in Keepsake Books for Grandchildren Odds are, you feel as much fondness for your children's grandparents (or your own grandparents!) as Ree Drummond does. Of her own mother, the grandmother of her children, she gushes, "People come away from having talked to her feeling a little more hopeful about life." Anita breaks Abeula’s special flan dish–and she feels guilty but doesn’t say anything while she’s helping her grandparents mix and cook and share the stories of their past. Anita finally confesses what happened and her abuela is happy to know the truth and isn’t mad. “A plate is a plate but YOU are irreplaceable.” You’ll love the story’s relatable topic, the mix of both languages, the Cuban culture, and the love that bursts through the relationships.

I think he liked a little spice. When we played cards, if I cheated, he warned me, “If you did that if you were really playing cards, they’d come for you.” For a child this was very cool, but I’m sure he exaggerated. He also gave me an insight into his life in a different country, India. From his descriptions, it seemed like this magical land—a mysterious place that my grandfather would disappear to once a year. My son loved reading it because he loves dressing up—and certainly he’ll happily layer a Robin Hood outfit over a fairy princess dress. He doesn’t differentiate.

How to Vote

If you’re a new grandparent or are soon be one, here are four books chosen by Ask Granny, to help you get into the spirit of a brand new world when it comes to raising children. You’ll find out we didn’t put them to bed in the right position, we’re not careful enough about germs and a whole raft of other tidbits of information.