How to be the best grandpa in the world! - Things you should have experienced with your grandchildren
The children are already grown up- of course - otherwise the grandchildren wouldn't be here yet... So after a long time, there are children laughing in the house again. But it's still not comparable with the children back then. In the past, family and work had to be reconciled somehow, time had to be allocated in a completely different way and we had to learn how to deal with the new experience of having children. Of course, we experienced a lot of great and exciting things with our own children and (hopefully) gave them a wonderful childhood, while at the same time doing a great deal of educational work and much more. As grandparents, on the other hand, we are now, according to popular opinion, mainly responsible for spoiling them. Often we don't see them every day and when they are there, we want their stay with us to be something very special for them, something they will remember fondly later.
Handicrafts and model making
How about a plane as a kit again? It's fun to choose the right model or even create one yourself. Starting with the selection of the model and the material then in the DIY store, to the planning, drawing and the first fretwork, to the painting and embellishing of the finished plane - it's something your grandson or granddaughter doesn't do every day. Speaking of granddaughter: Does she also enjoy aeroplanes? If not, it will certainly be fun for her if you work together on her new princess castle or doll's house. Or are the grandchildren Star Trek fans or do they like nice cars? Then perhaps the prefabricated model kits are well suited, they come in different designs and difficulty levels for different age groups. No matter what you choose, it will be a lot of fun for your grandson or granddaughter if you play with the finished part together afterwards - grandpa quality time, so to speak... A tree house is the absolute classic, but also something for advanced builders.
DIY of all kinds
In principle, similar to the model making just mentioned - with the difference that the finished product will not be a toy, but (hopefully) something of practical use. This pleases children big and small when they are allowed to help with a project that then takes on a certain importance. Whether it is the carpentry of a new raised bed or a herb spiral (which then also makes grandma happy) or the self-painted small table for the children's room - they see that their work is valued and that the object is actually needed in everyday life. DIY projects for the animals in the garden are also nice. Nesting boxes, hedgehog houses, bird houses, feeding stations for squirrels or insect hotels are not that difficult to make. There are numerous instructions for different sizes and designs. Even if you are already bonding through DIY, it is of course especially nice if you can spend time with the child and your handicraft work afterwards, for example watching tits and sparrows together at the bird house you built yourself.
Time together in the garden
Setting up the insect hotel together can also be a lot of fun. The main thing is that it is quality time and well spent together. Whether it's the everyday things in the garden or sometimes special projects, it almost doesn't matter. Regularly raking leaves together creates a lasting bond if it becomes a kind of ritual over time. Recurring seasonal tasks also strengthen your relationship and your grandchild will always think of your annual apple harvest together when he stands under his own apple tree. But even with one-off activities, time is spent in a high-quality way. Don't just build the raised bed, fill it and plant it together. With a little luck, you may soon be able to watch the plants grow and harvest your own vegetables.
Grandpa - Grandson - Dog
Your grandchild would love to have a pet but can't get one? It's too much work and everyone has a job and the poor animal would be alone all day? Not to mention that your grandchild is still too small for the sole responsibility? You, on the other hand, have a lot of time now and would like to have a bit more life around you. Maybe you have already toyed with the idea of getting a dog or a cat or another pet. Think about whether you and your grandchild might want to do something together! Think about what you could get and how you could do it. Make a plan. The pet will probably live with you and your grandchild will come regularly for visits and walks. Of course ... in the end it will be YOUR pet in terms of purchase, responsibility, cost and accommodation ... but doesn't it really matter? but doesn't that really matter? The most important thing is that you have something in common that connects you and that lets you spend a wonderful time together.
Sharing your own - places, memories, objects
Share something with your grandchild that is important to you. Not the fiftieth car from the toy shop, but something that has an ideal value for you. Your grandchild will feel and appreciate this and remember it with pleasure. This starts with memories to share. How often have you heard "Grandpa, tell us how it was when you were a child..."? Then the time is right for old stories and memories that every child loves to hear. Or do you have a special favourite place? If it's not too personal for you, take your grandson or granddaughter and show him or her the lake where you almost collapsed while skating as a child. Take the child to the beautiful clearing where you used to walk every Sunday with your own children (the grandchild's parents). Show the grandchildren the beautiful fountain on the market square where you met grandma 40 years ago.... Maybe you also have something material that you would like to pass on? Do it! It doesn't have to be the usual pocket watch, but maybe you have something that had a special meaning in your life and that you would like to pass on - a piece that will always be unmistakably associated with you and that will remind your grandchildren of you even when they have grandchildren of their own.
