Childhood is a Terminal Illness

August 1, 2024

As a young mom, I was hopping. I was thinking of the next meals, the next activities, or where toddler shoes had been lost in the messy plots of days. I was hugging, comforting, and singing, but I was also scheduling, figuring, and mostly, winging it.

I don’t recall staring at my child jumping on a trampoline, on a warm June morning, and thinking: “This is it. This is the only summer of seven. He will never be seven years old again. You only get one of these.” I don’t remember turning away from his delighted bouncing, questioning the brevity of summers.

Back then, I didn’t regularly squeeze my brain for ways to make the tiniest childhood moments more memorable. I didn’t pull out silly chef hats to don while we mashed avocados for guacamole. I didn’t spend solid hours

Ideas for Connecting with Grands Far Away

October 25, 2022

Far and away the best thing that has happened for grandparents that live far and away from their grandchildren is technology. Here are a couple of tech-based joy and connection bringers:

1. Our pandemic buddy Zoom, is still going strong on a number of fronts, and one of those is the family connection front. We can read books to our grandkids over Zoom! We can do this live, or make a recording and send it to them. I have found it helpful to have someone next to me, holding the book and turning the pages). A “fam fav” here is The Velveteen Rabbit, because it’s not too short, not too long, and it’s super engaging. it’s so well written!! Not feeling the read-aloud vibe? you could also send them a link (see Youtube) to Meryl Streep’s rendition of this timeless classic. If you are visi

TV/Media

Connect with grandkids by telling them your stories! Here are 6 they need to hear

Photo of Woman Showing Her Cellphone to Her Grandmother

Telling stories from your own life is a great way to connect with grandkids.

The holidays can be a great time for Grandma to really connect with grandkids. One way to do that is by letting them connect with you.

Mary Jo Bell encourages nanas to bond with the kids through stories. She shares the six stories your grandkids need to hear from your own life.

Grandmother and Grandfather Holding Child on Their Lap

Make the season special for the grandkids with a little holiday hospitality.

At your family’s holiday parties this year, be the welcoming nana, the generous nana, and the warm nana. To sum it up, simply be the hospitable nana. It will be the thing to make your holiday party not just memorable, but magical.

December 9, 2022

Turn surface-level grandkid chats into deeper conversations.

Take advantage of the extra time you may get to spend with your grandkids this Christmas with deeper conversations.

Our leading voice in the Nanahood series, Mary Jo Bell, shares how.

September 20, 2022 2 min read

Nanas are needed by their families.

With our Nanahood series in motion, it’s time we introduce our leading voice.

Mary Jo Bell is an author and speaker in pursuit of filling homes with more love and more laughter. She’s a nana to nine and passionate about that role. She will be joining us monthly to help you find your nana spirit and strength because she believes nanas are needed now more than ever.

September 1, 2021 1 min read

Be a grandma in the best way!

There’s motherhood, there’s fatherhood, and now there’s a new term we are loving – nanahood! Being a grandma can be more than just play time and endless treats. Make time spent with the grandchildren meaningful and something they will remember throughout their life.

Mary Bell shares three ways she makes nanahood special for her grandkids. Women are living thirty years longer than a century ago, and that gives grandmas greater opportunities to be influential in their grandchildren’s lives.

What if grandma gave no toys this Christmas?

We know toys are the big ticket items with kids at Christmas. But as a grandma, what if you took a different approach? Spending time with your grandkids will give them emotional oxygen that will outlast any toy.

Mary Bell shares what emotional oxygen is. She gives five ideas for giving grandkids an experience with their grandparents, whether you live close to them or not. One is a gift in disguise for your daughter or daughter-in-law! While you spend time with the kids, mom can get things done.

Photo of Woman Embracing Her Grandmother

June 23, 2022 4 min read

Bonding with grandchildren can be done with these five specific things.

Anyone can have a relationship – but not every relationship takes hold of your heart.

Author and speaker Mary Jo Bell believes there is one relationship that should. She is on a quest to strengthen the grandparent connection, and has observed five specific things grandparents can do to become genuinely close with their grandkids.

Childhood is a Terminal Illness

Ideas for Connecting with Grands Far Away

TV/Media

Connect with grandkids by telling them your stories! Here are 6 they need to hear

Holiday Hospitality: 2 ways grandmas can make the season magical

Have deeper conversations with the grandkids! Here are 3 ways to connect with them

Nanas are needed! 4 reasons grandkids need you now more than ever

Now is the best time to be a grandma! Here are 3 ways to make the most of nanahood

No toys from grandma? Here are 5 ways to gift an experience instead of things

Bonding With Grandchildren: These 5 things will help you grow this important relationship