Senior Living - Gray Days II - Blog post #247

I’m still thinking about ‘Gray Days’ today.  Not that the day is really ‘gray’ - it might have sun, it might have rain, but that the day becomes ‘blah’.

‘Blah’ - like today is like yesterday; which is like the day before; which is like most of the days before it back to when I retired.

Day after day; day after day; day after day; day after day.

I’ve been alive well over 25,000 days - taking off some for infancy, let’s use about 23,000 days.  That is maybe 46,000 times brushing your teeth, 23,000 breakfasts, 23,000 lunches, 23,000 dinners.

That means many, many days shaving, showering, making beds and more.  Many miles on many cars; many nights in many beds; many miles walking.  

At some point, a new day is just another day - not necessary “new”.  That new day becomes a ‘gray’ day as well.

So, (in addition to my last post #246) what can we do.

• Make a daily calendar:
• Elementary Teachers generally had notes on the blackboard - Today is: (day-of-the-week / date / year); the forecast is for (forecast); other notes.  Something special about the day (‘today is Tommy’s birthday’).  We could have a blackboard / notes in our kitchen with similar information.  That should help us know what the day is.
• Do you have extended family?  My wife’s family is fairly large and has a file with birthdays, anniversaries and more in that file.  Write those events down and send an email note for birthday wishes to those in the family.
• Put other events on the calendar - trash day; senior coffee day; holidays; events in your community; and more.
• Find a picture from a picture album and put it on your daily calendar (and change daily or weekly).  Make the day memorable.
• Call an old friend; call one of the relatives or friends with a birthday  

.

Let me know what you did!!!  (email:  brucewhitecoaching <at> gmail.com

Bruce

http://drbrucewhite.com

Senior Living - Surrogate Grandparents (again) - Blog post #233

Senior Living - Surrogate Grandparents (again) - Blog post #233

Surrogate grandparents can be good for YOU!!

We talked mostly about how being a surrogate grandparent can be helpful for the family.  But, how might that help you?

It is always nice to be needed, maybe even more so in our senior age.  That somebody wants you to have lunch at school on Grandparent Day; maybe that somebody wants you to attend the band concert or volleyball game.

And, it is an easy job - show up; smile; pat the surrogate grandchildren on the shoulder, say “thank you” a lot; and relax.

And … you will be appreciated.  You are filling in a gap in a young family’s life.  You are doing an important job (and you may not even know that).  

Do look around.  Maybe in your church / synagogue you’ll see a young couple with kids and rarely see the grandparents; maybe in your neighborhood; ask your friends if they know of somebody that might like to have surrogate grandparents.

You could sit at home, or have lunch (or band concerts) and get out of your comfort zone and make a difference by sharing love and grandparenting values!!!

So, how about you?  Are you thinking about this - or already involved?

Let us know?  Write us at:  brucewhitecoaching <at> gmail.com

Bruce

http://drbrucewhite.com