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There's so much concern on these boards for our adult children, death and dying, Medicare, etc. that I thought I'd address things from a rebellious stance.
What's left for you to accomplish? What shocking mark do you want to leave on your legacy, if anything? Are you content with your grannypanty image? Yup, I'll be told that I'm disrespectful. Ha, for sure! Toll house cookie baker, rocking chair commander? You think the kids/grandkids MUST flock to you because you believe you earned this respect simply by giving birth and raising them?
1)I'm promising myself a tattoo before 2014. Nothing shocking, just a small peace sign somewhere indiscreet. 2)I'm going to set up college funds for my two grandsons. I might not be here when they graduate from HS so what better loving legacy? 3)I'm going to write a book of poems using my young grandsons' artwork as illustration, again what better legacy? 4)We're going to Europe, Italy specifically, and we'll document their heritage with photos and journals.
I want to be remembered as the grandma with a sense of fun, whatever it takes. I read somewhere (a long time ago) that if you want to keep your grandkids interested then be interesting. I remember taking my young son to visit my boring parents and he'd be chin-in-hand bored, rolling his eyes back in his head. Sorry, but my parents earned this.
So, what are you doing for yourself? I ask this because what you do for yourself makes you more interesting to those around you. You can't just be a grandma/grandpa who makes a mean apple pie and expect the love to flow in.
I'm waaaay past looking to this board as a popularity meter. If you think I'm rude or base then so be it.
I like this thread--it's better than the depressing threads although they all have their place. I bet you'll be remembered as a grandma of fun if you work at it--sounds like you're determined. As an example, I had a gram who would play cards and other games and she loved it. She was also interested in everything we did (and she always had an opinion) but she was really fun. One time on vacation when we were being put to bed her immortal words were, "Oh let them stay up! They're on vacation!!"
I don't have that many goals. I am going to England again, that's been a big theme in my life from early childhood. For me it's to touch base and to feel at home for a while and to see some areas I haven't seen yet. If dh can reconnect with his adult kids while there, that will be a plus.
I want to finish the family history as much as possible and get it distributed to family members. No grandchildren or children so maybe that's why there isn't that much to do. Just nieces and kids of cousins.
I would like to help get some local history taught in the schools in this town. We have such important history here yet local history isn't even being taught anymore. I've just gotten involved in this project with another former teacher who agrees with me. We'll see what happens.
There's so much concern on these boards for our adult children, death and dying, Medicare, etc. that I thought I'd address things from a rebellious stance.
What's left for you to accomplish? What shocking mark do you want to leave on your legacy, if anything? Are you content with your grannypanty image? Yup, I'll be told that I'm disrespectful. Ha, for sure! Toll house cookie baker, rocking chair commander? You think the kids/grandkids MUST flock to you because you believe you earned this respect simply by giving birth and raising them?
1)I'm promising myself a tattoo before 2014. Nothing shocking, just a small peace sign somewhere indiscreet. 2)I'm going to set up college funds for my two grandsons. I might not be here when they graduate from HS so what better loving legacy? 3)I'm going to write a book of poems using my young grandsons' artwork as illustration, again what better legacy? 4)We're going to Europe, Italy specifically, and we'll document their heritage with photos and journals.
I want to be remembered as the grandma with a sense of fun, whatever it takes. I read somewhere (a long time ago) that if you want to keep your grandkids interested then be interesting. I remember taking my young son to visit my boring parents and he'd be chin-in-hand bored, rolling his eyes back in his head. Sorry, but my parents earned this.
So, what are you doing for yourself? I ask this because what you do for yourself makes you more interesting to those around you. You can't just be a grandma/grandpa who makes a mean apple pie and expect the love to flow in.
I'm waaaay past looking to this board as a popularity meter. If you think I'm rude or base then so be it.
Happy Thanksgiving!
When you go get that tattoo make sure you don't get hepatitis too.
...So, what are you doing for yourself? I ask this because what you do for yourself makes you more interesting to those around you. You can't just be a grandma/grandpa who makes a mean apple pie and expect the love to flow in.
Sorry, I don't get it. What I'm doing for myself has nothing to do with my grandkids. If they want to visit, kewl. If they don't, that's kewl too. As long as I continue to live at the beach, I suspect my popularity ratings with them will stay up.
What I'm doing for myself has nothing to do with being interesting to those around me. I'll continue to fish, dance, drink, read, think, photograph, kayak, nap, and all the other little things I do, only because they're what I want to do. I thought that's what retirement was supposed to be about. They have nothing to do with my grandkids or those around me. If it did, I wouldn't be doing them for myself.
What I'm doing for myself has nothing to do with being interesting to those around me.
I agree. My goal is to get back entirely to myself—returning to publishing my writing, perhaps an online gallery of my artwork, exploring all over Maine, staying outdoors more, eschewing materialism ( except for my new car), taking a lot more time to read, and finding the right fit for volunteerism. I have no huge aspirations for fame or fortune. I am not labeling myself as a parent or grandparent, just a happy old lady. I'm a retiree, after all.
I like your post and I like your attitude, Ipoetry. I am a little bit like you in that I don't mind ruffling people's feathers from time to time. Remember that time you were pretty insulting about boring people who live in 55+ communities? You got hammered big time, and I understood the hammerers at the same time I admired your spunk and understood your point of view!
Now, having said that, I believe there are quite a number of posters right here in this Retirement Forum who, like you, advocate and practice a retirement life style which is vital, fulfilling, unconventional, and keeps them young at heart. So unless I am off-base about that, there ought to be many of us who can relate to the provocative thread title.
I am still trying to figure out what kind of child would not like their grandparents. Ours seem to like us no matter what.
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except for my new car), taking a lot more time to read, and finding the right fit for volunteerism. I have no huge aspirations for fame or fortune. I am not labeling myself as a parent or grandparent, just a happy old lady. I'm a retiree, after all. 
