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One of the biggest pain points of being a grandma is when your grandkids grow up and seem to drift away – primarily during those tough teenage years! Don’t take it personally, grandma. It may seem like your grandchild is gone forever, but they are still there and just trying to find who they are.
If you are in the thick of this trying season, fear not, as some of our fellow grandmas are here to share heartwarming stories of how they connected with their teenage grandchild:
"When my grandson got into skateboarding, I felt out of the loop. One day, I asked him to teach me a move. We laughed at my clumsy attempts, but it became our thing. Now, we have 'skateboard Sundays' together." -Clara
"Never thought I'd enter the world of anime, but when my granddaughter shared her favorite series, I watched the entire thing. Our dinner chats have since shifted to character debates!" -Margaret
"I found a box of old vinyl records and invited my grandson over to listen. Vinyl is back so he thought my collection was pretty darn cool (which, of course, it is)!" -Gwendolynn
"Taking an interest in my granddaughter's veganism wasn't easy for a meat-lover like me. But I tried her recipes, and our cooking sessions are now our favorite bonding time. I know this isn't for everyone, but it has worked well for us." -Valerie
"My teen grandson seemed distant. Remembering his childhood love for puzzles, I invited him over for a 1000-piece challenge. It was so fun to get a glimpse of my sweet, 5-year-old grandson again!" -Susan
"I enrolled in a digital photography class alongside my granddaughter. It was her passion, and now, it's our shared hobby." -Maria
"After my granddaughter's first heartbreak, I shared my own teenage diary with her. It led to some pretty deep conversations and a huge trip down memory lane for me." -Gracie
"I accidentally sent a funny GIF to my grandson. It sparked an exchange of memes and jokes that is still ongoing!" -June
"My grandkid started playing the guitar, and it rekindled my old love for singing. We formed our 'duo' and enjoy jamming out on weekends." -Elsie
"I felt disconnected from my teen granddaughter. Taking a leap, I enrolled us in a pottery class. I'm not sure who had a better time: Me or her!" -Patricia
"Understanding my grandson's love for the environment, I proposed a monthly beach clean-up. Working side by side, we've had some of our best conversations to date." -Bernice
"My granddaughter loves vintage fashion. I opened my wardrobe for her, leading to hours of trying on, laughing, and stories from my youth. Even better? Some of my old clothes are back in style!" -Esther
"I used to paint but stopped years ago. Seeing my grandchild's interest in art, I dusted off my brushes, and now we paint together after every Sunday dinner." -Louise
"Feeling the distance, I started texting my grandson daily. Sometimes it's just an emoji or a 'thinking of you' message. But it's brought us so much closer." -Agnes
"I joined my granddaughter's passion for bird-watching. Our silent moments, surprisingly, while we're waiting for a glimpse of a rare bird, are when we've truly reconnected." -Felicity
"I felt like technology was creating a gap, so I asked my grandson to teach me about social media. Now, we bond over the latest trends and even share a TikTok account!" -Rhonda
"My granddaughter loved journaling, so I bought us matching journals. We write to each other, sharing our thoughts and then swap every month." -Carol
"When my grandson became passionate about activism, I shared stories of my past protests. Now, we attend rallies together, bridging our generational causes." -Sheryl
Conclusion
See? There is hope for all of us! Keep your head up, Grandma – you may feel like you’ve lost your beloved grandchild during these tough teen years, but they are still in there and love you more than ever. It just takes a little creative thinking (and sometimes a little extra work) on our part. God bless you, my fellow Devoted Grandmas – let’s talk again soon!
