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Back to School – How Grandparents Can Help

It’s back to school time for our grandchildren and grandparents can be a positive influence when it comes to education. Even if we don’t live close enough to help them with their homework, with all the technology available today we can be more involved than ever before!

back to school

Perhaps you are surprised by the number of grandparents who are raising their grandchildren. These grandparents are involved on a daily basis with their grandchildren’s education and I’m sure they could offer us some pointers!

Even if we aren’t raising our grandchildren most of us still want to help if we are able to so I asked the grandmothers on NanaHood’s Facebook page for their suggestions and those are included here. There are some great suggestions here. I found several I’m going to try and I hope you do too!

Tips from Nanas to help grandchildren at school.

From Grandma Joyce:  I make and individually wrap slices of banana bread and cookies for freezing so mommy can quickly supply lunch desserts or snack time items without worrying about them herself – they let me know when it’s time for more. Also, Lisa at Grandma’s Briefs recently posted some really cute “back-to-school” jokes. I’m going to print them out and give them to mommy to place inside lunch boxes. I also buy school clothes, supplies, and whatever I see (with parental approval) that would make things easier for families. For classroom parties I supply holiday themed “estimating jars” for 3 kids to win. Teachers love the educational cuteness and excitement over who will win! (My grandkids get freebies, too, of course! :)) And finally, and perhaps most importantly, my 3 daughters and I pray daily as a team for the kids’ success at school – and not only for our 7 school agers – we ask that the benefit of our prayers also apply to 7 other children, especially ones who struggle academically or socially and have no one to pray for them. 

From Nana Kathy:  I try to help out getting them off to school. My 2 older ones are able to get themselves off mostly by themselves but I Facetime them on the mornings they are there alone. My grandkids had me sit with them today and make a list of things they wanted to make sure they had ready.
From Nana Jane: I work at the same school that my oldest (8 years old) granddaughter goes to. I have daily contact with her, sometimes have lunch with her and this year I am blessed to be working in her classroom. We got a special out fit for school together and she has a secret surprise waiting for her on her desk for tomorrow morning which is the first day of school here! I am so blessed as she is the only one in school as yet!
From Nana Candy: I have 3 grandsons ages 6,7 and8. I’m blessed to have them close by. I shop all summer for them. Their Papa lets them pick their special back pack, his thing he does every year.
lunches or bake.Try to help their mommies with lunch ideas. I go with them to catch the bus the first day and take tons of pictures. Lol Usually attend school activities. I keep after school snacks at my office to as I get little visitors a lot.
From Nana Gramcrackers: (Joan) I attend programs and volunteer in their classes when I visit. I get to help pick out outfits, help with homework and meet them at bus stop each afternoon! The older girl in high school does orchestra and tennis which I attend. I help her with writing/research assignments and I do car line pick-up for her.
From Nana Danna: I help my granddaughter get ready in the morning, we FaceTime and I help with brushing her teeth and keep her company while mom gets things together.
From Nana Missy: Locally, we can get a list of school supplies for each classroom. I like to get that list and take them shopping for supplies. This takes a little bit of the burden from their parents.
From Nana Wanda: I’ll get the 3 younger ones some school clothes. Attend sport events, programs, etc
The oldest is in his second year of college I buy groceries and make brownies or cookies for him and his dorm friends.
Nana Kim: I attend their programs and sporting events.
I think these grandmothers are doing some wonderful things for their grandchildren and children. Can you add some things maybe they haven’t thought of? What do you do for your grands at Back to School time?
back to school

Related posts:

  1. The Rising Cost of School Supplies
  2. Giving Thanks For Grandparents Who Are Raising Their Grandchildren
  3. School Lunches: Do You Know How Long Your Child Has To Eat?
  4. Thursday Thoughts on Going Back to School

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7 Comments

  4. I help by purchasing school supplies for my 2 homeschooled grandchildren. Basics but everything helps. Their budget is tight. It also shows that we care! I do bake cookies occasionally and bless them with them. Need to do that again soon.

  5. I am very blessed when it comes to my grandchildren and school. I work as a paraprofessional in the same school as our five youngest grands attend. We live in a small, rural community, and our school is consolidated with several small towns. We are even blessed with the fact that the school is only two years old! So very fortunate that our communities believe in education enough to give our children the best. I work with high school students, and the five grands are in 8th, 6th, 4th, 3rd, and 2nd grades, I get to see them throughout the days and always welcome their hugs! Life is good and we are blessed!

  6. I don’t live close enough to be there every day, so I loved the FaceTime idea! Also, making things ahead of time to help get lunch ready. I think I will try that, not with something frozen, but packets of snack items that don’t need refrigeration. My granddaughter has snack time at her kindergarten.I am thinking packages of nuts, small oranges, dried fruit, granola, seaweed snacks, seeds (like sunflower seeds), and cheese. Anything that saves time helps.

  7. I loved reading about the grandparent involvement displayed here! How much fun it must be for the kids who have grandma on FaceTime while they get ready for school! What a way to start the day, going off wrapped up in so much love!

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