Grandparents Rock (and not just in chairs)

“The numbers of grandparents are at record highs and still growing at more than twice the overall population growth rate. There were an estimated 65 million grandmothers and grandfathers in 2010. By 2020, they are projected to reach 80 million, at which time they will be nearly one-in-three adults.”

from The MetLife Report on American Grandparents

Wow, there sure are a lot of us!

While having a grandchild makes a grandparent, it doesn’t make us all alike. In fact, we are a very diverse group. If the only vision that comes to mind when you hear the word “grandparent” is a little old lady with white hair sitting in a rocking chair then you might be surprised to know that most grandparents don’t look anything like that.

For example, did you know that Mick Jagger has 4 grandchildren and is about to be a great-grandfather? The Rolling Stones just celebrated 50 years together and they are still touring.

More famous grandparents who show no signs of slowing down: Goldie Hawn, Nancy Pelosi, Lionel Richie, Pierce Brosnan, Rod Stewart and Jim Carrey, just to name a few.

And then there are grandparents like me, who aren’t famous but still think being a nana (or poppa) is one of the best things that ever happened to them.

What do we look like?

Like this…

Teresa Kindred

                                                               Me, hanging out with Peg Leg Pete

Poppa and Kiki                                              And like this, Poppa Bill showing granddaughter how it’s done!

Martha and Braxton

And like this, Nana Martha rocking 1 of her 8 grandchildren. Yes, we know how to rock babies but we know how to rock and roll too!

 Being a parent is great and being a grandparent is grand!

More statistics you may not know….

  • A majority of grandparents today are Baby Boomers ages 45 to 64 years old. As a result, today’s grandparents are more likely to be college graduates and fully employed than at any time in the past.
  • About one in every ten households headed by someone who is a grandparent has at least one grandchild living with them. Part of the reason for this is the recession-driven high unemployment among their grandchildren’s parents.
  • About one-in-five grandparents are African-American, Hispanic, or Asian compared to two-in-five young adults, indicating that grandparents will become more diverse in the future.

Link up with me please!


Related posts:

  1. Grandparents Rock (And Not Just In Chairs)
  2. Nanas Rock
  3. My Nana
  4. Grandparents raising grandchildren

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39 Comments

  3. That is the sweetest comment! So glad your children have their grandparents to enjoy and glad your parents have their grandchildren. NanaHood rocks!

  4. Yes, that’s true but life happens and one day you will be a nana too! Parenthood is awesome but so is nanahood!

  5. Awe great pics and I bet you can rock – n- roll. Not so sure I am even close thinking about what it will be like to be a grandparent. I have to get these kids past kindergarten before I can do that 🙂 grin

  6. Grandparents do rock! In my children’s eyes, their grandparents are like their superstars and at the same time are also their own private mini fanclub. It seems contradictary, but somehow the relationship works. I just love seeing the two generations interact with each other. I am so incredibly grateful that my children have such a privilege to be able to know and love their grandma and grandpa.

  7. A gorgeous post Teresa ;D
    I’ve yet to have the pleasure of being able to call myself a grandma.
    Hopefully I will one day but not just yet.

  13. I know. Me too. My babies (twins) are 22, 6 foot 8 and wear size 16 shoes. How does that happen?

  20. I’m old enough be a GP and have a 20yr son (as well as 7yr old twins who love their Nana).
    I think GP are grand , my Mum rocks but I’m in no hurry .

  32. Great pictures! You seem like a hands-on grandparent! The best kind. My mother-in-law is like that. She is a blessing. Hope you are having a great week. Thanks for the linky.

  33. My kids are growing up with three sets of grandparents and all are in pretty good health. All of them are still working full-time, except for one who retired. I love your little saying about knowing how to rock. 😉

  38. We are grandparents as 3 of my husband’s children now have little ones though we never get to see them. Unfortunately. It is hard to wrap my head around the fact that I am a grandparent at 40. Guess that is what happens when you have children at a young age.

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