Grandparents’ Day Celebrates the Bonds That Connect Generations

Today is Grandparents’ Day, a chance for families to recognize the grandmothers, grandfathers, and other older adults whose love, experience, and support can play an important role across generations.

Grandparents’ Day falls on Sunday, Sept. 13, this year. While the occasion can mean cards, flowers, meals and family outings, its larger purpose is simple: spending time together and recognizing the relationships that connect generations.

And even if the day slipped by, celebrating doesn’t require an elaborate plan.

A phone call, an afternoon visit, or a meal together can be enough. Families might pull out old photographs, play a favorite board game, cook a familiar recipe, or simply sit down and share stories.

For grandparents, those conversations can offer a chance to pass along family history that younger generations might otherwise never hear.

Children may learn what their grandparents were like at their age, where they grew up, what school was like, or how their communities have changed.

Grandparents can also share stories about relatives who are no longer living, keeping memories and family traditions alive for another generation.

For families who want to get out of the house, a Sunday brunch or dinner is one option. A walk through a favorite park, along a country road, or on a nearby trail can provide another opportunity to spend time together without making the day complicated.

The important part is the time, not the activity.

Some families may choose to mark the occasion with a gift. Flowers, plants, chocolates, jewelry, or tickets to a show are traditional possibilities.

Personal gifts can carry special meaning, too.

A framed family photograph, handwritten note or something made by a grandchild can become a keepsake long after Grandparents’ Day has passed. Families might also arrange a photo session to capture several generations together.

Intergenerational activities can extend beyond individual families.

Schools, workplaces, churches, and community organizations can bring younger and older people together through reading, crafts, cooking, storytelling, and other activities.

Those connections can benefit both generations.

For children, grandparents and other trusted older adults can provide another source of encouragement and stability. The original material for Grandparents’ Day points to developmental psychology research linking positive grandparent relationships to children’s emotional well-being and sense of security.

But the relationship doesn’t flow in only one direction.

Grandchildren can bring companionship, new experiences and plenty of questions into the lives of grandparents. Younger family members may introduce grandparents to new technology, music and changing trends, while grandparents can offer decades of experience and perspective.

Not every grandparent lives nearby, of course.

Families are increasingly spread across different cities, states and even countries. When an in-person visit isn’t possible, a phone or video call can still offer a chance to catch up.

Children might read a story over video, show off a drawing or school project, or simply tell their grandparents about their week.

Grandparents’ Day can also be a time to recognize that families come in many forms.

For some people, the person who fills the role of a grandparent may not be a biological relative. A step-grandparent, family friend, neighbor, or other older adult can become an important source of love, guidance, and support.

The day can be difficult for people who have lost grandparents, too. Remembering a favorite story, preparing a family recipe, or looking through photographs can help you honor those relationships.

And while Grandparents’ Day appears on the calendar only once a year, the idea behind it does not need to end when Sunday is over.

A missed visit can happen next weekend. A phone call can happen tomorrow. Family stories can be recorded anytime, and photographs can be taken whenever everyone manages to get together.

Grandparents’ Day is ultimately less about getting the date exactly right than remembering the people behind it.

For families spending time together today, it is an opportunity to say thank you. For those who cannot, it can remind them to make that call, plan that visit, and keep the connection between generations going throughout the year.