You can bet on it that being a first-time grandparent is a grand experience. I’m not the only one to be over the moon with the experience and while I have a lot to celebrate, I also have a lot to learn!
Andy Murray and his wife Kim Sears had a daughter a few days ago. First-time grandma, Judy Murray tweeted the baby girl’s arrival with a photo of Dunblane’s gold letter box, bedecked in pink ribbons. For those who don’t follow tennis, the Royal Mail painted a post box in Murray’s hometown to mark his winning a gold medal in the 2012 Olympics. Did Judy steal Andy and Kim’s thunder? I hope not, but read my post Facebook faux pas for some suggestions on using social media to announce baby’s arrival.
Hillary Clinton, who became a first-time grandma in 2014, says
Being a grandmother is the greatest joy and the best job I will ever have. Friends have always told me that would be the case, but I didn’t believe it fully until I experienced it for myself. Bill and I are still in awe of everything Charlotte does—little things like clapping her hands and making sounds that are starting to sound more and more like words. Being a grandmother also makes you think about the future, and I’m constantly thinking to myself “how can I make sure this precious little girl has every opportunity in the world?” More than anything, I want to make sure she grows up in a country that is peaceful and prosperous—one that gives everyone an opportunity to live up to his or her potential.
As Judy Murray demonstrates, it is not only maternal grandmothers who contribute. Judy expects to be “an active grandma”. Good for her! A baby has two grandmas (more in some blended families) and we can all contribute to our grandbaby’s wellbeing. As I’ve written previously, my own mother was not able to help me out with my second baby as she needed to look after my father who was ill, so my mother- in-law helped out for over 2 months after baby arrived. She cooked, cleaned and just generally helped out – very much appreciated.
While paternal grandmas may sometimes have a different role, there are many ways that both sets of grandparents can be kept in the picture. Sharing baby photos can be a nice way to share the joy especially if one grandma has the opportunity to see the baby more often than the other; email exchanges between grandparents are another; occasional joint holidays with both sides of the family could be an idea to maintain healthy relationships. Ally, my son-in-law, immediately started a WhatsApp group chat with both sides of the family when his wife went into labour and everyone was notified simultaneously of baby’s birth. That clever move kept us all happy!
I’d love to hear your stories on sharing the love between both sets of grandparents.
Sweet dreams grandbaby!
