In this heartfelt episode, we explore why grandparent-grandchild relationships matter, not just emotionally, but based on decades of research. Join us for this episode and learn how grandparents support children’s development, ease the parenting journey, and build lifelong bonds through simple, intentional acts of love, presence, and consistency.

This episode might prepare you for grandparenting in your future or take you on a walk down memory lane with your own grandparents. Either way, we hope you’ll be blessed and encouraged by it.

Show Notes:

1. Harvard Graduate School of Education – “The Supporting Role of Grandparents”

https://www.gse.harvard.edu/ideas/21st-century-learning-lab/supporting-role-grandparents

2. American Academy of Pediatrics – Grandparents and Child Development

https://www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/family-dynamics/Pages/Grandparents-and-Childrens-Development.aspx

3. AARP – The Value of Grandparent-Grandchild Relationships

https://www.aarp.org/home-family/friends-family/info-2020/value-of-grandparent-relationships.html

4. Pew Research Center – Grandparenting in the 21st Century

https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2015/05/21/raising-kids-and-helping-grandkids/

5. Journal of Family Issues – Emotional Closeness Between Grandparents and Grandchildren

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0192513X16676857

6. The Gerontologist – Benefits of Intergenerational Bonds for Children & Older Adults

https://academic.oup.com/gerontologist/article/58/3/472/2632080

Caregiving is a sacred gift. Caring for someone who is chronically or terminally ill requires patience, understanding, and selflessness. Most caregivers are not professional healthcare workers; rather, they are loving family members who dedicate their lives to improving the well-being of their loved ones.

Caregiving often presents significant challenges and in this episode, Robin's husband, Tom, is here to talk about them. His mother, like many individuals who are ill, required round-the-clock care. For Tom and other caregivers who work outside the home, this situation leads to difficult decisions: choose between paying for private care or providing the care themselves. There are no easy solutions to this dilemma, as Tom explains.

When we care for one of God’s children, we are truly doing the Lord’s work. Most who have been in the caregiving role, including Tom after three months at his mother's bedside, deem the experience a blessing beyond measure.

If you aren’t a caregiver but know someone who is, consider offering support, respite, or, at the very least, prayers and encouragement. Also, send them this episode so they know they are not alone.

Special Guest: Tom May

Tom and his sister committed to keeping their mother at home as she battled Parkinson's Disease and cancer. This commitment didn't come easy or without challenges. He joins us today to discuss them.

Tom is the husband of Robin, and together they have two children and one granddaughter.

Show Notes

The Caregiving Crisis No One is Talking About https://www.mariashriversundaypaper.com/the-caregiving-crisis-ai-jen-poo/?utm_source=SailThru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Fall%20Issue%20No.%207%20November%209%2C%202025&utm_term=Sunday%20Paper

Caregiver Bill of Rights

https://www.caregiver.org/resource/caregivers-bill-rights/

Celebrating National Family Caregivers Month with BLS Data

https://www.bls.gov/blog/2023/celebrating-national-family-caregivers-month-with-bls-data.htm

The Overwhelming Financial Toll of Family Caregiving https://www.aarp.org/caregiving/financial-legal/financial-impact-caregiving/

Family and Medical Leave Act

https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fmla

‘Tis the Season

https://denisebickel.com//tis-the-season

Our fifth and final Yama jewel, Aparigraha, encourages us to embrace non-possessiveness. What do you covet? What do you cling to? Consider what in your life reflects your values and priorities. This month’s Yama invites us to examine the physical possessions we surround ourselves with. Do these items make you feel free and light, or do they weigh you down and create a sense of heaviness?

Aparigraha serves as a reminder that breathwork is a perfect example of non-possessiveness. The simple act of inhaling and exhaling teaches us about embracing the fullness of life without the need to cling to it. Instead of holding onto our breath, we allow it to flow, experiencing release and relaxation.

This time of year often brings many obligations and expectations. Aparigraha urges us to be gentle with ourselves and with others. When we extend unconditional love, we model non-possessiveness and promote acceptance and forgiveness. What a beautiful way to end the year!

Show Notes:

The Yamas and Niyamas: Exploring The Ethical Practice of Yoga by Deborah Adele