Why the Grandparent-Grandchild Bond is Unlike Any Other
How grandparents and grandchildren shape each other through shared memories, new discoveries, and time spent together.
Published: Sep 06, 2026
When you’re starting a family, the joys of parenthood can get lost amid demanding careers and bills that need paying. Schedules are packed, and much of the day goes to getting everyone where they need to be. Plus, you’re often the one who has to enforce the rules.
Grandparenthood, on the other hand, is one of life’s great do-overs. You get to be the good cop who can spoil the kids a little before handing them back at the end of the day. It’s a chance to experience childhood up close again.
What makes the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren so special is the give-and-take: You hand down stories and rituals and become another person in their corner, while your grandkids pull you into their world and let you see life through younger eyes.
Grandparents Day (Sept. 13) is a reason to think about what grandparents and grandchildren mean to each other. It’s a two-way relationship unlike any other, and both sides are worth celebrating.
What we give them
When it comes to the joys of being a grandparent, I’ll admit I’m biased. Marylou and I have been blessed with seven grandchildren, and through them I’ve come to appreciate what a grandparent can bring to a child’s life.
A conversation with my friend Dr. Dale Atkins helped me better understand what makes that role so valuable. A psychologist and author who has written extensively about grandparents, she told me that one of the great gifts we can give our grandchildren is our presence — the time we spend listening, telling stories, and doing things together.
Those experiences can give children a stronger sense of belonging, connecting them to their families and to the generations that came before them.
Research suggests the benefits extend further, linking involved grandparents to greater emotional well-being and stronger language development in children, with some studies pointing to greater resilience. Having another adult who loves you and believes in you can leave a mark long after childhood.
The memories that shape us
I can see that in my own childhood. My grandfather took me fishing, and somewhere along the way, he planted the seeds of my lifelong love of the sport.
I’ve heard plenty of people describe similar experiences. My friend, chef Tom Colicchio, has talked about learning to cook, garden, and fish alongside his grandfather — interests that stayed with him. Other friends remember grandparents who taught them to work with their hands or brought them into the kitchen for the first time.
Grandparents rarely know which moments will stick. What seems ordinary at the time can, years later, become part of how a grandchild understands where they came from and even who they become.
Did a grandparent introduce you to something you still love today? Is there a lesson, tradition, or experience with them that has stayed with you? Or, if you’re a grandparent, what are some of your favorite memories with your grandchildren — and what have they taught you along the way?
I’d love to hear your stories. Tell me about the moments, big or small, that have made the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren special in your life. I’ll share some of them in an upcoming Celebrations Pulse.
What grandchildren give us
While we’re wondering which memories and interests we might be passing along, our grandchildren are leaving their mark on us, too. They pull us into their world, introducing us to new interests and different ways of looking at things.
I got a reminder recently when my son and I were struggling to turn a recording on my iPad into a file I could send. We called over my 8-year-old grandson Kurt, who took a look and quickly pointed us in the right direction.
The next morning, Kurt and I started trading iPhone tricks. “Did you know you could do this?” one of us would ask, and off we’d go. He showed me features in Google Maps I never knew existed; I came up with a few tricks for him, and nearly an hour passed before we knew it.
The best part was discovering something Kurt and I could enjoy together. What started with him helping his grandfather became a chance for two people to learn from each other and find another reason to spend time together.
Make the day yours
For me, Grandparents Day is about making something of the relationship rather than waiting to be celebrated.
If you’re a grandparent, don’t sit around waiting to see if you get a call. Make a plan with your grandkids — or, better yet, let them choose what you’ll do together. I bet you’ll find the beginning of a ritual worth repeating.
If you’re lucky enough to still have a grandparent in your life, make the call. If they’re no longer here, think about what they passed along and share it with your children.
You can also recognize the grandparents around you. We all know someone who lights up when talking about their grandkids. Letting them know you’ve noticed the love they bring to that role might mean more than you realize.
As for Kurt and me, we have a fishing trip planned before the season’s over. I’ll bring the rods. He’ll probably bring a few things to teach me.
All the best,
Jim
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AUTHOR
Jim McCann is the founder and chairman of 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. as well as a business leader, author, and philanthropist with a passion for helping people deliver smiles. Devoted to helping others, he also founded Smile Farms, a 501(c)3 organization that provides meaningful jobs in agricultural settings to young adults and adults with developmental disabilities.
