You’ve Got Talent

I’m at a point in my life where I have some time to devote to doing things that I haven’t done in a long time; and my grandchildren are my main motivation for getting back into it. Since becoming a grandmother I have written 3 children’s stories; none of which have been published but they made it to my grandchildren’s bookshelf and that’s good enough for me - I have written countless poems and actually write each of my grandchildren a poem every year for their birthday; writing poems for them every year really makes me pay attention to what they are doing - and I have drawn portraits of both my grandchildren which are framed and hung in their bedrooms (which I am very happy about). Sometimes your talents get put on the back-burner, for whatever reason, or you just don’t realize that they can translate into something meaningful that you can do for (or with) your grandchildren.

Some ideas:
Crocheting, Knitting and Sewing: You can make finger or hand puppets, doll outfits, clothes for teddy bears and lots of other crafts - or you can teach your “talent” to your grandchildren.
Drawing: If you are comfortable with it, you can draw their portrait or something that they are interested in, but you can also teach and encourage them to draw. If you just "like to draw", you can have fun laughing at the drawings that don’t look anything like they should – and at the same time, help them develop their creative side!
Writing (Poems/Stories): There is a “free”, rhyming site that I find useful for writing poems. For childrens’ stories, start by writing about things that your grandchildren are interested in or something they do that is inspiring you to start writing. On a more serious note, write the story of your life – or blog about it, for easy access to your grandchildren.
Singing, Dancing or Playing an Instrument: Children love to listen to music, so singing to them or teaching them to dance or play an instrument, will keep them entertained. Put on a show together and entertain your family and friends.
Woodworking and Construction: The possibilities are endless if you are lucky enough to have this talent.
Baking: I know my children enjoy their grandmother’s baking (brownies, buns and those wonderful Christmas cookies), and that is something they will always remember - they don’t last a lifetime, but the memories do...

There are a lot more skills/talents that translate well to things you can do for, or with, your grandchildren and there are endless websites devoted to this topic, so start searching...

Spending time with your grandchildren doing something that everyone enjoys, or giving your children something that you’ve made for them, is something that will be treasured forever.