Importance of Grandparents to Their Grandchildren Main Article LDS Perspective Expanded Version

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Recent research emphasizes the important role grandparents play in their grandchildren's lives. Scholars have found that grandparents often serve as a role model, friend, caregiver, family historian, mentor, and source of unconditional love for their grandchildren.

This research confirms gospel teachings about the family. Latter-day Saints believe that families are eternal, and grandparents are an important link in the unbroken chain that binds families together.

Elder L. Tom Perry (1982) said, "How glorious are the Lord's teachings to his children that there can be eternal family associations with grandparents, parents, children, and grandchildren in one eternal family organization" (p. 59). He also taught (1985) the importance of the extended family: "To build a foundation strong enough to support a family in our troubled world today requires the best effort of each of us--father, mother, brother, sister, grandmother, grandfather, uncles, cousins" (p. 23).

One of grandparents' most important responsibilities is to help parents teach children. In the Book of Mormon, King Benjamin advised his people of their duty to teach children: "But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another" (Mosiah 4:15). Elder M. Russell Ballard (1991) taught that it is not only parents who have this responsibility to teach: "Parents share this sacred trust with . . . grandparents . . . and all who touch the lives and impress or influence the souls of those precious children" (p. 78).

Grandparents who teach their grandchildren to live and love the gospel, especially by their example, give a gift of eternal value. President Ezra Taft Benson (1989) said an important way grandparents can be examples is by writing their personal histories, sharing experiences, testimonies, and faith from their own lives. They can also be family historians, helping children learn about their ancestors and turning the hearts of the fathers to the children and the children to the fathers (Malachi 4:6).

Serving missions is another way grandparents can be an example of righteousness. Elder Hales (2001) promised that grandparents who are willing to leave their families to serve in the mission field will bring blessings to their families, including reactivation of family members, baptisms, and strengthened testimonies.

Grandparents can also set an example for succeeding generations by working in the temple, accepting and fulfilling Church callings, and giving Christ-like service (Benson, 1989).

The Family: A Proclamation to the World states that "extended families should lend support when needed" (¶ 7). Grandparents thus can help with childcare, be available in times of need, and lend emotional support. They can help make the home a safe, secure haven where children learn morals and values (Faust, 1987).

One of the best gifts grandparents can give grandchildren is time. Elder Neal A. Maxwell (1994) pleaded with parents and grandparents to "scrutinize your schedules and priorities in order to ensure that life's prime relationships get more prime time!" (p. 90).

President Benson (1989) suggested that grandparents nurture their relationships with grandchildren by reading books with them, sharing stories, and helping them gain a gospel perspective of life. Grandparents who live far away can send letters, tapes, and photos. They should make their best efforts to attend special family events such as graduations, weddings, temple trips, missionary farewells and homecomings, baby blessings, and baptisms.

President and Sister Gordon B. Hinckley exemplify good grandparenting (Thomas, 1997). First, they make time for their grandchildren. Their extended family gathers at least once a month for family home evening. They invite grandchildren to accompany them on speaking assignments or temple dedications. They show interest in their grandchildren's lives by asking about each individually, inquiring about school, sports, dating, etc. A special tradition is to hold a Christmas party for the grandchildren without their parents.

President Hinckley worries about the problems they face in an increasingly difficult world and offers advice and prayers to help them. He stays in touch with current culture so he can understand their challenges. Sister Hinckley keeps her grandchildren in mind while traveling, often sending letters and postcards from all over the world.

It is a grandparent's duty to help teach and raise grandchildren in the light of the gospel. By being good examples and making the effort to be involved in their grandchildren's lives, grandparents can be of invaluable service and influence.

For additional reading…

Benson, E. T. (1989, November). To the elderly in the church. Ensign, 4-8. Retrieved July 2003, from http://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll/Magazines/Ensign/1989.htm/ensign%20november%201989.htm/to%20the%20elderly%20in%20the%20church.htm?f=templates$fn=document-frame.htm$3.0$q=$x=$nc=2119

References

Ballard, M. R. (1991, May). Teach the children. Ensign, 78-80. Retrieved July 2003, from http://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll/Magazines/Ensign/1991.htm/ensign%20may%201991%20.htm/teach%20the%20children.htm?f=templates$fn=document-frame.htm$3.0$q=$x=$nc=2195

Benson, E. T. (1989, November). To the elderly in the church. Ensign, 4-8.Retrieved July 2003, from http://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll/Magazines/Ensign/1989.htm/ensign%20november%201989.htm/to%20the%20elderly%20in%20the%20church.htm?f=templates$fn=document-frame.htm$3.0$q=$x=$nc=2119

Faust, J. E. (1987, May). Will I be happy? Ensign, 80-82. Retrieved July 2003, from http://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll/Magazines/Ensign/1987.htm/ensign%20may%201987.htm/will%20i%20be%20happy%20.htm?f=templates$fn=document-frame.htm$3.0$q=$x=$nc=7804

The First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles. (1995, November). The Family: A Proclamation to the World. Ensign, 102. Retrieved July 2003, from http://www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,161-1-11-1,FF.html

Hales, R. D. (2001, May). Couple missionaries: A time to serve. Ensign, 25-27. Retrieved July 2003, from http://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll/Magazines/Ensign/2001.htm/ensign%20may%202001.htm/couple%20missionaries%20%20a%20time%20to%20serve.htm?f=templates$fn=document-frame.htm$3.0$q=$x=$nc=1355

Perry, L. T. (1982, May). Let us go up to the house of God. Ensign, 53-59. Retrieved July 2003, from http://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll/Magazines/Ensign/1982.htm/ensign%20may%201982%20.htm/let%20us%20go%20up%20to%20the%20house%20of%20god.htm?f=templates$fn=document-frame.htm$3.0$q=$x=$nc=7249

Thomas, J. (1997, April). My grandfather the prophet. New Era, 28-33. Retrieved July 2003, from http://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll/Magazines/NewEra/1997.htm/new%20era%20april%201997%20.htm/my%20grandfather%20the%20prophet%20.htm?f=templates$fn=document-frame.htm$3.0$q=$x=$nc=3413