13 Feb Baby Boomers Sharing The Past With This Generation
Baby Boomer Grandparents:How to Share the Past
As grandparents, we want to leave a lasting legacy for our grandchildren to always remember us by. A great way for them to truly understand our lives are to share with them stories from our past. This can be a challenging task, because it is not easy to catch the attention of teenagers today with stories of the “good old days”. So how can the baby boomers generation make it fun and interesting without abandoning the true principles we are trying to get across? Here are some great strategies to help us do just that.
Starting Off
The hardest part is usually starting off the conversation right. Once you’ve wrecked the introduction, it can all go downhill from there. It is probably a good idea to start off the conversation over lunch or some kind of fun bonding activity. When they’re caught off-guard, they are more likely to come up with some excuse as to why they can’t talk now. A lot, also, depends on the kind of relationship that is already established between you and your grandchildren. Having a good relationship will make it even easier for you to share pretty much anything with them.
Make It Relevant
It is important for the baby boomers generation to make whatever story you are trying to tell relevant to their lives today. Many times grandkids think that everything going on now is oh so new, and they do not understand that you went through many of the same struggles they go through now as teenagers. So tell them about the baby boomers days when you were young, how you met your partner, struggles you may have went through at home as a child and as a young adult. Always make sure there is a point to the story so that they will know where you are going with it and try not to be too long winded. This is a good way to pass down guidance and advice without “telling them what to do” – something that most teenagers and even younger grandkids hate.
Are You Listening?
In order to set a good example, the baby boomer grandparent must also be a good listener when your grandchildren come and talk to you. Whether it is to seek advice or to just share what’s going on in their lives. Do not be quick to interject or try and lecture, but be calm and help them to reflect on the situation. This may also be a good time to share something from your past that relates to the topic at hand and that can serve as encouragement to them. It is a privilege for the baby boomers generation to be able to have positive and meaningful interactions with our grandchildren, so make the most of it. Allow them to have a glimpse into your past as you learn more about their present and future.
How do you relate with your grandchildren? Tell us at BoomerYearbook.com.
www.boomeryearbook.com is a free social networking site connecting the Baby Boomer generation. Share your thoughts, upload pictures and find old friends, or use our online optical illusions and brain games, provided by clinical psychologist Dr. Karen Turner, to expand your mind and help ward off the possibility of depression, dementia and Alzheimer’s. Join now to discover the numerous ways in which this online social networking site for the baby boomers and boomers of all ages can contribute to optimal physical and emotional wellness. The baby boomers generation changed the world. We’re not done yet!
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