Lessons every Grandfather Should Teach Their Grandkids by Mel Feller

Mel Feller

As a grandfather, Mel Feller believes that setting a good example for your grandchildren may seem like a no-brainer; nonetheless, grandparents are able to teach some real life skills. Often grandfathers can spend more quiet time with grandkids than parents are able to.

Sitting, talking and really listening to your grandchildren as you share life lessons can make a big difference in how they live their lives and often they will listen to you when they will not listen to their parents.

Here are some lessons for life I believe are important to teach our grandkids.

Life is not easy on kids of today so empathy is a learned trait

Doing a good turn for others is a classic way to explain empathy and make a difference in your community. “Set up a regular volunteer activity so your grandchild can learn about people in need and see that he has the ability to change someone’s life for the better,” says Mel Feller.

Raking a neighbor’s leaves every week, helping to build a wheelchair ramp at a church or packing care bags for women and kids in a homeless shelter are just a few ways to start. As you work, share a time when you were in need of help or understanding. Your hard-earned experience on the receiving end of empathy makes the lesson real to your grandkids.

Teach kids to be thankful for everything so gratitude is a learned trait

“Have your grandchild thank people fully, going beyond a simple ‘thanks’, and express why they like the gift or how they’ll use it,” says Mel Feller.

Make a greater impact by reviving the ancient art of the thank-you note, still an important skill in the digital age—and help her to pen one. You could also make a point of expressing gratitude when you are together, even for the smallest pleasures like green lights on the road, beautiful sunshine, a smile at the grocery store.

Treat others, as you would want to your grandkids to be treated so respect is also a learned trait.

Talk about respecting everyone, including teachers, cashiers, store clerks, and then model it for your grandchild, insists Mel Feller.

Respect means listening carefully when someone speaks, looking that person in the eye and extending common courtesy (holding the door, offering a seat). It also covers personal property, so remind your grandchild to pick up toys so others will not trip and fall and to put the sweatshirt she borrowed from her brother in his dresser, rather than leave it on the floor. This behavior is easily be forgotten from generation to generation so bring it back when you are together.

Because you have spent a longer life learning how to deal with people, you can demonstrate the advantages that come with showing respect. Moreover, whatever you do, curb your own comments and generalizations such as ‘cops are never where you need them’ or ‘kids today don’t understand anything’. These remarks label groups unfairly.

Lying is not worth it and it will not get your grandkids anywhere so honesty is a learned trait.

Everyone has lied and regretted it so bring up a misgiving or two from your past and explain how you would have done things differently if you had known better.

Of course, it is tempting to fib here and there, but even the littlest of kids can detect an untruth. Avoiding a scary topic or whitewashing for safety reasons is bound to happen, though much of the time honesty can and should be in charge.

Teach truthfulness by sticking to your word. Kids will remember if you do not do what you promised (i.e., take them to the park after naptime and might view you as dishonest. Also, explain why honesty is important and what can happen to trust if a child is caught in a lie.

The other side of this lesson is to praise your grandkid when he admits to doing something he should not have. Covering up a mistake or bad behavior is a natural tendency, so be sure to let him know how proud you are that he came to you with the truth.