Welcome to GaGa Sisterhood

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Guide For Grandmas

When Being a Grandma Isn't So Grand - Author Donne Davis

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Whether you’re a brand-new grandma, a seasoned grandma, or a grandma-at-heart, you’ve come to the right place. The GaGa Sisterhood has a wealth of resources for grandmas who are totally “gaga” for their grandchildren.

As the founder of the GaGa Sisterhood, I’ve been curating resources for grandmas since I first became one in 2003. I know firsthand how complicated the role can be. When you and your grandchild’s parents begin the exciting journey of welcoming this precious new being into the family, your lives will be forever changed.

You will experience the highest highs and possibly the lowest lows as you grow into your title of “Grandma” or “Nana” or “Noni” or a host of other grandma names. Whether you’re “Kiki” or “Baba,” (my grandma name,) choosing your grandma moniker may be your first big decision.

Donne Davis

Donne Davis
Founder of
GaGa Sisterhood

The content on this website includes twenty years of blog posts that offer advice on how to begin this exciting new relationship, book recommendations, ways to stay connected with your grandchildren, long-distance grandparenting advice, self-care and much more.

Be sure to click on our Resources page, where you’ll find links to our favorite grandparent websites. On our Press page, you’ll find links to podcasts and articles featuring my conversations with hosts about the ins and outs of being a grandma.

How Ga Ga Sisterhood Was Born

History of GaGa Sisterhood

Idea grew out of passion for becoming a grandma

My idea for GaGa Sisterhood grew out of my passion for becoming a grandma after witnessing the birth of my first grandchild, Juliet on April 26, 2003.

Immediately, I wanted to find kindred sisters who shared my enthusiasm, and boy did I! So many grandmas have graced my life over 20 years — it’s hard to quantify.
For two decades GaGa Sisterhood was a growing national membership organization. The organization provided “gaga” grandmas a place to bond, brag, and benefit.

Contact Me

Contact me if you need an article on grandparenting, a guest on your podcast or a speaker for your organization.

For more than twenty years, I’ve been writing and speaking on the joys and challenges of modern grandparents as well as the importance of rituals and traditions for families.

Drop a note to me on the Contact Form.

Over the Years

From our first meeting on December 7, 2003 to our last farewell meeting on December 7, 2023, grandmas have shared their stories and touched my heart.

For two decades, the GaGa Sisterhood has always been a labor of love for me. I produced regular blog posts and newsletters for our growing audience of grandmas. Over the years, the format of the group evolved but my mission remained firm — to inspire grandmas to keep growing and learning along with our children and grandchildren.

Since COVID, it became more laborious trying to juggle two almost disparate groups — our original local Silicon Valley grandmas and our newer online community from all over the U.S. (sometimes even Australia) The other difference was the age of our grandchildren. Lots of our members felt they’ve “aged out” because their grandchildren were teenagers and older. Finding speakers and topics that appealed to all ages became more challenging.

As I faced these challenges, I realized it was time for me to step down from hosting regular meetings and bid farewell to our GaGa Sisterhood members.

20 years -December 7, 2003 to December 7, 2023

On December 7, 2023, our GaGa Sisterhood members met for our last formal meeting. While there will be some small, local franchised GaGa Sisterhood groups who will continue to meet in their local neighborhoods, we are no longer continuing GaGa Sisterhood as a national online membership organization.

Going forward

Many ask me what’s next? I’ll continue to enjoy my three precious grandchildren and family. I’ll write articles and do some speaking on some of my favorite topics — the joys and challenges of modern grandparenting and rituals and traditions. I’m available for podcasts, panels, and public speaking opportunities.

Contact me if you or your organization needs a speaker. I look forward to staying in touch.  Drop a note to me on our Contact Form.

GaGa Sisterhood Resources

Link to Blog- 20 years of blog posts to inspire grandmas to keep growing and learning

Link to Resources - GaGa Sisterhood’s favorite grandparent websites

Link to Media and Press Clippings - links to podcasts and articles featuring me and the GaGa Sisterhood

Ask GaGa - send a note to connect

Visit GaGa Sisterhood Blog

20 years of posts about topics grandmas need to know

Our Blog contains 20 years of grandparent-focused content. Below are excerpts from some random posts published during the past 20 years. Click on the excerpt link to read the entire post. Also, you can search all the posts by Topic, when you visit our Blog Page.

Sharing Grandchildren With the “Other” Grandparents

By Donne Davis | August 19, 2015

What kind of relationship do you have with the “other” grandparents? Is it a tug-of-war over the grandchildren or a unified team that appreciates each others’ strengths?

Read More »

“Real Grands” Redefines the Image of Grandparents

By Donne Davis | June 1, 2016

Author and grandmother Deborah Drezon Carroll has created a multi-layered book for modern grandparents to share with their grandchildren.

Read More »

Grandmas Who Juggle Multiple Sets of Grandchildren

By Donne Davis | June 13, 2014

How do grandmothers divide themselves among multiple sets of grandchildren? Last week, while my two granddaughters were staying with us, my third granddaughter was born.

Read More »

Parentless Parents Book Discusses Raising Children Without Grandparents

By Donne Davis | March 3, 2011

Author Allison Gilbert explains how the absence of grandparents impacts everyday parenting decisions and the relationships they have with their spouses and in-laws.

Read More »

10 Acts of Kindness to Model for Your Grandchildren

By Donne Davis | May 29, 2017

Linda Cohen set out to do 1,000 mitzvahs to honor her deceased father. You can also do acts of kindness, and by doing so, model kindness for your grandchildren.

Read More »

Grandmother Power is a Global Phenomenon

By Donne Davis | March 15, 2013

Today’s grandmas are making a difference all over the world. Grandmother Power by Paola Gianturco profiles activist grandmothers in 15 countries on 5 continents.

Read More »

The Love Goddess’ Cooking School

By Donne Davis | November 22, 2010

The Love Goddess’ Cooking School is about a grandmother-granddaughter relationship. It’s also about classic Italian dishes, twists and turns of friendship and romance, and mysterious fortune-telling.

Read More »

“Beyond Sixty” Challenges Ageism

By Donne Davis | May 31, 2021

Melissa Davey made her first documentary film in 2018 after retiring from a 30-year career in the corporate tech world. Her second act is fueled by a lifelong passion for film and story-telling. In “Beyond Sixty” she weaves the stories of eight multi-talented women into this inspiring 75-minute film. They show us the power of resilience, defiance, and the wisdom of experience.

Read More »

National Grandparents Day Founder Marian McQuade

By Donne Davis | September 2, 2009

Marian McQuade, founder of National Grandparents Day, left a legacy to millions of families around the country who celebrate the important role that grandparents have in our society.

Read More »

Grandmother Power Celebrated in Museum Exhibit

By Donne Davis | October 25, 2013

The Grand Rapids Public Museum opened an exhibit devoted to celebrating grandmothers. The exhibit is based on Paola Gianturco’s book Grandmother Power: A Global Phenomenon.

Read More »

Communication Tips for Couples

By Donne Davis | October 3, 2012

My husband and I have come up with some communication do’s and don’ts. We’ve put them into practice and have happily discovered that they really do make a difference in our relationship.

Read More »

Hooray! I’m Turning into My Mother

By Donne Davis | May 10, 2019

It’s practically universal — both to catch ourselves being ‘just like’ our mothers — and to recoil at the thought. But we can also appreciate our mothers as role models.

Read More »

Do You Know Where Your Advance Directive Is?

By Donne Davis | March 16, 2010

Do you have an advance directive? What kind of medical treatment would you want if you were too ill to express your wishes? Advance directives convey decisions about end-of-life care.

Read More »

Fighting Ageism One Person at a Time

By Donne Davis | March 5, 2012

Ageism is rampant in our society. Most Americans tend to have little tolerance for older people and very few reservations about harboring negative attitudes toward older people.

Read More »

What Mothers-in-law Wish They Could Tell Their Daughters-in-law

By Donne Davis | March 13, 2017

The mother- and daughter-in-law relationship can be fragile when the grown man in the middle shows his loyalty to his wife and puts his mother second. Finding common ground can help them connect.

Read More »

Storytelling Brings Family History to Life

By Donne Davis | May 28, 2015

Storytelling is more than entertainment. Storytelling brings family history to life while fostering imagination and creativity.

Read More »

Why Grandparents Matter

By Donne Davis | February 27, 2017

Arthur Kornhaber, M.D., author of The Grandparent Guide, describes 11 roles grandparents play in a family. They’re dynamic and will change and grow as you and your grandchildren do too.

Read More »

3 Important Tools for Grandparents

By Donne Davis | September 26, 2023

Grandparents help shape their grandchildren’s character, their social self, and therefore their self-esteem and capacity to deal with things and navigate life.

Read More »

The Value of Social Connection for Grandmas

By Donne Davis | June 26, 2023

Human beings need to be part of a community to avoid loneliness. The GaGa Sisterhood is a community for enthusiastic grandmas to share their joys and challenges.

Read More »

Grandmas Finally Get to Be the Funmeisters

By Donne Davis | January 24, 2012

Today’s moms have way more stress than we had when we were raising them. When grandmas complain their daughters don’t have enough fun, I say “cut ’em some slack.”

Read More »

Testimonals

“I wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed yesterday’s meeting, my first. What a lovely, dynamic bunch of women!”… Susan

“Thank you so much for the wonderful opportunity to join the GaGa sisterhood. I really enjoyed everyone and the common bond we all share in our own way as Grandmothers. It is surely a great group of women and I loved how open hearted everyone was, I felt very much at home”… Mary Beth

“I get many newsletters. By far, I’d say yours is one of the most interesting and useful” … Helga

“Usually I avoid groups, but the GaGa Sisterhood is very special and I enjoy the meetings, the subjects, and the other grandmas tremendously. Thank you for creating this group and keeping us going”… Carolyn

“Your Sisterhood organization information has been so helpful in preparing me for this unexpectedly rewarding time of life. Thank you” … Carolynn

“Thanks for sending the GaGazine. All of your tips and work are so valuable and fill such a need in uniting three generations”… Berna

“Your newsletter is consistently informative. I don’t know how you do it, but you write the best e-newsletters. I read every part of it. I am sorry that I missed this meeting, but your newsletter brought me up to date.  Thank you”… Carol

“Every meeting has offered something to take away with me ~ some little nugget of advice, some inspiration, a closer connection with another GaGa”… Susan

“You are in for lots of treats as our GaGa gatherings are always very enjoyable”… Kathleen

“After meeting all of you, I’ve been inspired by how you nurture your grandchildren and how GaGa Sisterhood is truly a place for us to be nurtured. You are a wonderful group of ladies and I am proud to have become a member”… Carol

“Your GaGazine is awesome!  Colorful, straightforward, and loaded with information”… Len

“The GaGazine is a real winner!”… Joyce

“You always produce an enjoyable must read. I look forward to every new issue. Keep up the Grand work!”… Christine

“I really had a transformative experience this afternoon! I came home and described the meeting in detail to my husband who was very interested and so pleased that I had this opportunity. The women were so open, and willing to share their experiences and caring attitudes! I will definitely join the group and hope to eventually bring some friends along too!”….Sue

“Thank you for being the very special, loving and caring person that you are. You are so generous to share your natural talents as our leader, to be better grandparents and people. We continue to learn much in many ways...from the speakers you bring to us, by the friendships and commonalities, to the fun and laughs, and even tears we share.  It is truly the very best, because of you. Thank you, thank you, thank you, dear Donne”…. Carol

“You plan such lovely meetings for all of us. I have developed two new friendships from our group, for which I will be ever grateful”… Bev

“What a wonderful GaGa Sisterhood meeting! The way you organized it worked so well and the questions really generated discussion in a most meaningful way. Hats off to you for figuring out how to make it work!”… Marcia

“The GaGa Sisterhood provides not only a place to brag, bond and benefit, but also a place for support, sharing and just plain silliness as we explore who we are as active, involved and evolving grandmothers”… Susan

“I feel very fortunate to have discovered GaGa Sisterhood while visiting my daughter who recently moved to California from the East Coast where I live. I’ve attended just a couple of meetings so far but those meetings and the women I’ve met there have helped me feel more at home at “my home away from home”. Because of this, I am trying to time my future visits to the West Coast, whenever possible, to match the bi-monthly GaGa Sisterhood meetings”… Marcia

“I love the speakers who present at our GaGa Sisterhood meetings.  They are always the highest caliber professionals and they always have something really interesting to say”… Carol

“I really enjoy meeting with this group of women. They are far more informed than the grandma’s of yesteryear. Moreover, they are willing to open up, share, and be enlightened by others. The group of women is very eclectic–each woman has a unique and individual gift to bring to our circle.”… Lisa

“I enjoyed the meeting today. It felt like a comfortable, supportive and fun place to be. Thanks for organizing this group. I think it is a good fit for me and I look forward to future get togethers”… Ricka

“Great meeting. Enjoyed it thoroughly. Very supportive and collegial. Thanks for creating such a warm environment”… Berna

“Thank you for an absolutely outstanding GaGa meeting this afternoon. I feel fortunate to be a part of this lovely group of women. It was an exceptional meeting and I appreciated how honest and genuine everyone was.”… Cheri

“I loved today’s GaGa meeting, it was enlightening and ever so much fun! I can’t wait until the next one in September. So glad I am now a part of this wonderful group of Grandmas!”… Carol

“I admire the way you run the meetings, how inclusive you are, and, mostly, the fact that you created this group out of a common life event–being a grandmother” .... Miriam

“What a treat to be able to share this amazing grandmother experience with those that ‘get it!’ Such a joy!”

"Being a part of The GaGa Sisterhood is such an incredible gift! I love the intellectual stimulation and the building of new relationships. I hope you understand what an incredible experience you're offering to so many of us. You truly are a blessing and I deeply appreciate all you do to make our meetings so meaningful"  .....  Kate

"Your newsletter has great information that's given me inspiration and wisdom on my journey as a grandparent." .... Diane

"Thank you for all you do for us. You enrich our lives and expand our minds" ... LH

Some Kudos GaGa Sisterhood Received Over The Years

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