Besides being Patriot’s Day, yesterday was also National Grandparents Day. I didn’t want to write about grandparents on September 11 — that day deserves to stand alone…. its importance can’t be stressed enough.
So today, let’s talk about grandparents — and their day. Grandparents Day always lands on the Sunday after Labor Day.
The official statute says the purpose of Grandparents Day is, “to honor grandparents, to give grandparents an opportunity to show love for their children’s children, and to help children become aware of strength, information, and guidance older people can offer.”
I’ve mentioned it before, but the idea of a Grandparents Day was hatched right here in West Virginia — by Marian McQuade, a mother of fifteen children. Marian had a lifelong mission of supporting senior citizens. She began her campaign for a day to honor grandparents in 1970. All her effort paid off in 1973 when the first Grandparents Day was held in West Virginia. Five years later, it was nationally recognized — President Jimmy Carter signed the proclamation in 1978. Other countries around the world have established their own Grandparents Days. Poland led the way, holding their first Grandparents Day in 1965. Since then, twelve other countries have followed.
Grandparents Day in the US even has its own official flower — the Forget-Me-Not, and an official song, A Song for Grandma and Grandpa, by Johnny Prill.
There are over 70 million grandparents in the United States today.
2.7 million grandparents are the main caregivers to their grandchildren and 7.3 million children under 18 live with their grandparents.
69% of grandparents live within 50 miles of their grandchildren.
58% of grandparents say they talk to their grandchildren at least once a week.
Barack Obama and Oprah Winfrey were raised by their grandparents.
More than half of all grandparents are on social media sites and share photos online.
Slightly more than 10% of grandparents have tattoos. If you’re still reading this blog when our children become grandparents, I’ll bet that number will be a lot higher.
A survey I saw said the majority of grandparents say they think being a grandparent is the single most important and satisfying thing in their life. I guess I pretty much have to agree with that….
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