The Grand Life

04/12/2024

Emily and Mike discovered an enchanting gift idea for your grands and their parents: a custom book publishing service that takes in a photo, uses AI, and illustrates art history using that submitted photo. Meet the dad who just wanted more time with his kids and created this lovely, clever thing as a result.

Meet a Renaissance dad whose personalized book service illustrates art history with your grands

03/12/2024

Thank you to Grand Life for the post!
Dave Grunenwald has created a merit badge programs for grandparents to pursue with their grands. Suited for both one-on-one and group activities, it's a resource to help us put more focus and intention into our time with our grands. See examples, and explore his book series, at https://www.grandparentmeritbadges.com.

https://omny.fm/shows/thegrandlife/grandparent-merit-badges

A merit badge program helps focus and encourage time with grands.

21/11/2024

Mike and I will be back with an episode early December with a guest we feel sure you'll like! Stay tuned and make sure you're following us on The Grand Life podcast in order to hear what we have to share.

07/08/2024

Still here. Just taking the time needed to figure out next steps!

31/05/2024

Our latest episode is a story of pain and perseverance told by the family law attorney who helped restore the legal right to spend time together to grandparents and their estranged granddaughter.

How grandparents can exercise legal right of access to their grands

20/05/2024

Just left our NYC grands. I love visiting our 11 grands and their parents in their “natural habitat”…from the city to the suburbs, the Rockies to the Virginia coast. What a privilege to see how they navigate the world and how their parents lead them through it. I feel so fortunate to get an up close and personal view of it all! Thankful, also, that our adult children welcome our visits!

16/05/2024

We've released an "episode"--a very quick preview of an interesting topic, and a story, that is worth the listen when the full episode comes. That one's next!

A preview of the next ep on grandparental rights

22/04/2024

If you haven't listened to our latest podcast, there are some new developments. Once you listen and if you're interested in learning more about SpeakEZ, just message us and we'll get you on the mailing list! Looking forward to hearing from you!

Mike and Emily speed up Speak-E-Z and slow down on podcasting.

22/03/2024

Our guest this week is Forrest Gump, and our topic is what's next. It has nothing to do with boxes of chocolates.

Mike and Emily speed up Speak-E-Z and slow down on podcasting.

20/03/2024

Mike and Emily will see you next at the Speak·E·Z, where you can join up for free to find out when we'll be meeting. At least once a month, we plan to get together on Zoom to share the hard things, the surprising things, for grandparent-only ears and hearts. Sign up at https://www.patreon.com/speakez

15/03/2024

Most older people would prefer to stay in their homes as they get older, rather than moving to assisted living or a relative's home. It's possible, of course, but it takes planning and work. This episode's guest can help!

An architect's book helps in adapting homes of elders for aging in place.

01/03/2024

One idea for gaining deeper insights about your grands, and a way to spend extra time with them, is to sponsor a grandparent book club. If reading talking about children's books with your own descendants sounds like fun, this episode is for you!

Parent-child book clubs form the model for a grandparent-grand variation

23/02/2024

It seems like traveling with babies and toddlers involves more equipment than ever before. There's an app for that.... actually a service with hundreds of local partners. BabyQuip might be a godsend for visits from your grands, or for your next multi-generational vacation.

Short-term rentals of baby gear for when grands come to stay

16/02/2024

This episode's topic is writing your own memoirs to help in processing your past. What does a hummingbird have to do with that? It comes clear as our guest, author Diana Raab, shares some amazing experiences after the death of her grandmother.

The transformative power of memoir writing with author Diana Raab

09/02/2024

How many people do you know who are dating in their Seventies? Join our conversation with Gloria and Frank, who are navigating that world and giving advice, both in their practices as therapists and as co-authors of a new book.

Two co-authors write and talk about their late-in-life love relationship

03/02/2024

In Denver for a month helping with our newest grandbaby and her two year old brother. Once a week or so I get out to visit friends or take a hike by myself. My son and DIL make sure that I get breaks to enjoy the world outside of grandchildren. Take care of yourself, grandparents!!

02/02/2024

If you ever experienced Scouting, you might remember the thrill of earning merit badges for something you learned and achieved. Here's a way to blend that with grandparenting--great ideas for how to make time with your grands more intentional and memorable.

A merit badge program helps focus and encourage time with grands.

26/01/2024

Our littlest grand just won’t stop smiling!!!