Grandpa has two sons, two step-daughters, and six grandkids. While he doesn't usually like to give "advice," unless it's about wielding a hammer, saw or a gardening tool, he was kind enough to weigh in on parenting today. Here are his nuggets of wisdom:
Learn from your parents
Grandpa watched how his father was around the home and he made a decision to be different with his own kids. If he caught himself being too rough with his kids, he stopped.
Read
Grandpa notes that some parents today read more to their kids. Looking back he would have read more to his kids and used TV less as a babysitter. He see parents today reading books from the library and it's great for the kids.
Best Memories - Find the Humor
The best memories - and therefore the things for us parents to look out for - were small moments that were magical or humorous. One example was his son playing left field in little league, but really just being engrossed in the clover patch at his feet.
Another of Grandpa's best memories was of his older son qualifying for a running race at age six. The win required driving from New Jersey all the way out to the tip of Long Island to compete in a race against other kids from the tri-state area. When his son lined up at the start line, he reached out and hugged the other contestants. When the gun went off, he ran fast, but then about half way through the race got captivated by the scenery and slowed to a walking pace. You just have to smile at moments like that.
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