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Grandparents--Are You a Christian Mentor to Your Grandchildren? · 5–Minute Parenting: Tips to Help You Raise Competent, Godly Kids.

• 0:31
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to another episode of 5-Minute Parenting.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_00: Today I'm actually talking to grandparents, and my topic is grandparents, are you a Christian mentor to your grandchildren?
• 0:44
  SPEAKER_00: I chose this topic because Grandparents Day is coming up this Sunday, September the 10th.
• 0:51
  SPEAKER_00: It is an officially recognized national holiday in the US that falls each year on the first Sunday after Labor Day.
• 0:59
  SPEAKER_00: There are more than more grandparents today than ever before, and by the year 2030, one in every five Americans will be over 65.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_00: And for the first time in history, people over 65 will outnumber children under age five.
• 1:18
  SPEAKER_00: In a culture that values new and youth, grandparents can often be viewed as obsolete when it comes to having anything to offer society today.
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_00: But God says something different.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_00: Job 12,12 says, Is not wisdom found among the aged?
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_00: Does not long life bring understanding?
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_00: Proverbs 16, 31 says, gray hair is a crown of glory.
• 1:45
  SPEAKER_00: It is gained in a righteous life.
• 1:47
  SPEAKER_00: In the Old Testament, we find that the older generation were honored and valued for their wisdom and skills they passed down.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_00: They were also an important part of the family, which today has become very segmented.
• 2:02
  SPEAKER_00: Even our churches divide people up into age groups for church, school, and church-related activities.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_00: Retired people often live a distance from their children and grandchildren, perhaps moving into retirement homes and focusing on activities with peers.
• 2:19
  SPEAKER_00: There's a huge need for belonging and connecting among every generation.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_00: We need to make sure older individuals and our family members feel valued for who they are and for what they still have to give to the younger generation.
• 2:35
  SPEAKER_00: The Christian Grand Parenting Network is a Christian organization devoted to challenging those in midlife and beyond to finish the race well as conduits of God's grace and truth so that future generations will know, love, and serve Christ.
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_00: The organization fosters intergenerational ministry by focusing on and strengthening the grandparent-grandchild relationship and taking seriously their role to take Christ and his gospel to the next generation.
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_00: Check out this great resource in the podcast notes on my website.
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_00: They offer a lot, so be sure to check that out.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_00: Dietrich Bonhoeffer declared more than 60 years ago that, quote, a righteous man lives for the next generation, unquote.
• 3:30
  SPEAKER_00: Today we are in a battle for the minds and hearts of each of the emerging generations of our time.
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_00: And grandparents are front-line warriors in that spiritual battle.
• 3:42
  SPEAKER_00: If you are a grandparent, one of the best things you can do is pray for your grandchildren every day.
• 3:48
  SPEAKER_00: Check out my podcast on Praying for Your Children and Grandchildren for prayer ideas.
• 3:55
  SPEAKER_00: You can also share your gifts and talents with them and take an interest in their activities at school, sports, clubs, and so forth.
• 4:04
  SPEAKER_00: Many schools offer opportunities for grandparents to help with tutoring and so forth.
• 4:09
  SPEAKER_00: Even if you can't openly share about Christian things, you can love on these children with God's love and demonstrate the gospel to them.
• 4:17
  SPEAKER_00: If you live a long distance from your grandchildren, technology makes it easier than ever to connect with them today.
• 4:26
  SPEAKER_00: Show an interest in what they are doing.
• 4:28
  SPEAKER_00: Be there to listen to them.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_00: Read books to younger children.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_00: Teach them a skill and share your life with them.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_00: Be a mentor to them.
• 4:38
  SPEAKER_00: Share with them what God has done and is doing in your life.
• 4:43
  SPEAKER_00: For parents, it's important that you teach your children respect for the older generation and especially for their grandparents.
• 4:51
  SPEAKER_00: Teach them to listen when their grandparents are sharing something.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_00: Parents can also encourage grandparents to share their gifts and talents with their grandchildren, whether that be gardening, sewing, baking, photography, so forth.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_00: If grandparents live near, find ways to spend time together and create memories together.
• 5:12
  SPEAKER_00: Make them feel like a valued member of the family.
• 5:16
  SPEAKER_00: On Grandparents' Day, let them know how special they are to your family and honor them in some way.
• 5:23
  SPEAKER_00: On my website, I have several grandparent appreciation certificates that are free to download for your children to give to their grandparents.
• 5:32
  SPEAKER_00: You'll find the link in the podcast notes.
• 5:35
  SPEAKER_00: Grandparents are a blessing that not everyone can experience, so thank God for them and for what they have to offer to your family and to this generation of young people.