Four years ago today, my first grandson, Andy, was born.
Since then, I have a 2nd grandson, Rob, along with 3 granddaughters. I love them dearly and as their grandmother, there are things I want them to know. I especially feel compelled to make sure the boys are guided to respect and honor women. And I want them to know themselves and how to express their feelings.
The following letter was written just after Andy's birth.
I sent the same one to Rob, my 2-year-old grandson when he was born. My hope is that I will be able to role model this wisdom for them but also verbalize it to them. Luckily, they have parents who will teach them these same ideals.
Here's the letter I sent:
Hello Anderson.
I haven't met you yet but you are my first grandson. You are the 4th one to arrive and you are met with a sister and 4 girl cousins. I can only imagine how you will be when you play with them. As your Gran, I am thrilled because I think that you will learn a lot about girls and the way that we women think.
I wrote to your sister, Avery, and your cousins, Ella and Kate, with my best tips on how to live a good life. And now I’m going to do this for you, as a male. I raised two sons, your dad, and your uncle. I learned a lot about boys during that time and they taught me a lot about myself.
Here are my tips for living your best life:
This is Rob, my younger grandson. He's 2 1/2 and he has 2 older sisters. I am pleased to report that he, like Andy, loves to dress up, have his nails painted, looks up to his sisters, and is quite happy with the feminine side of himself.
What is it that you most want your grandchildren, your children, the people around you to know about what you know about life?
Start today and write about your own guidelines for having a great life.
Post below or send me a private message about what you'd love for everyone to know. And you can always post on my Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/retreatwithjo/
Fall is a time for us to slow down, to ground ourselves and to nourish our bodies. This retreat is designed to help you stop and listen to what it is you need right now. It's a fun and restorative weekend with mindfulness exercises, morning yoga, an online cooking class with the fabulous Chef Bai, healthy recipes to try at home, meditations and group calls to connect you with other women.