Grandparents are important

National Grandparents Day is Sept. 13, and therefore it is an ideal time to honor the contribution grandparents make to families. It was proclaimed a national holiday in 1978 by then-President Jimmy Carter. Grandparents play a vital role in many families. According to the US Census Bureau, about two million children under the age of 18 are raised primarily by grandparents while almost six million children live in households headed by grandparents. That statistic clearly underscores the importance of grandparents. Today my wife and I have five grandchildren. Every day we work to be good grandparents and strive to be positive influences in their lives. We do not have all the answers, and we acknowledge that all five are different, therefore requiring slightly different approaches. We all know families are important to our society. I cringe when skeptics diminish the importance of family. And when I mention family, it does not matter whether families are blended, single-parent families or families headed by grandparents. So here are a few lessons we learned along the way to being grandparents. Here are a few suggestions. It is important to provide stability by listening, giving advice when appropriate and practicing unconditional love and acceptance. Share stories about yourself and other family members so they can understand the history of their family. Show them old family photographs and talk about family traditions. In addition, work at providing a safe, inviting environment, so they feel comfortable being with you and sharing their hopes and dreams. This can provide you with the opportunity to be a good listener. Also, support them with their schoolwork and outside activities. Give them your undivided attention and, most importantly, your time. Spending time with your grandchildren and doing things with them create memories and trust. It is important to stay involved by talking with them and exchanging texts messages. They live busy lives and texting is their primary means of communication. On a personal note, this past Christmas I was given a book titled "Dad I want to Hear Your Story." And in the book was a handwritten Christmas card addressed to me by one of my granddaughters. It said, "I wanted you to know how much I love and appreciate you. You have always been there for me, and I am so happy to think about all the memories we have made together. I keep those memories we have made tucked very close in my heart and know how lucky I am to have an amazing grandpa like you. I love you so much." Enough said. Go forward and tell those grandchildren how special they are, how proud you are of them and how much you love them. Do it now before it is too late.