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.

The Power of Friendship As We Age

By Donne Davis | January 10, 2022

According to research, if you have at least one person who understands you — a friend you feel you can tell anything — that’s enough to contribute to your feelings of well-being.

Read More »

Start a New Birthday Tradition (Giveaway)

By Donne Davis | March 23, 2020

Joni Rubinstein, author of “The Night Before My Birthday Book” tells the story of how her book took on a life of its own. The GaGa Sisterhood is giving away an autographed copy of her book.

Read More »

Ask Amy Is Too Soft on Toxic Grandma

By Donne Davis | April 24, 2013

Ask Amy offers advice to a young mom on how to handle her mother who is fat-phobic and may be passing on her eating disorder to her 14-month old granddaughter.

Read More »

Worried About Your Grandchild’s Diet?

By Donne Davis | April 15, 2019

Feeding our grandchildren is one of the first and most primal ways we can help nurture them. We can also help them establish smarter and better relationships with food.

Read More »

Wild Animal “Safaris” with Your Grandchildren

By Donne Davis | August 13, 2008

Go on a wild animal adventure. This unique family program called “Roar and Snore,” takes place at San Diego Wild Animal Park located thirty miles north of San Diego in Escondido.

Read More »

Meal Train Helps Friends Support Friends With Meals

By Donne Davis | August 2, 2011

Meal Train is the perfect solution for friends who are going through a difficult or challenging time due to a birth, surgery, or illness and could use some help.

Read More »

GaGa Sisterhood Featured in Parenting on the Peninsula

By Donne Davis | September 17, 2008

A year ago I attended the 70th birthday celebration of a good friend. At his luncheon I sat next to an old high school classmate and told her about the GaGa Sisterhood.

Read More »

Dealing With the Challenges of Being a New Grandma

By Donne Davis | October 23, 2017

New grandmas often experience challenges and think they’re the only ones to feel that way. My book, “When Being a Grandma Isn’t So Grand” is a reassuring guide to help grandmas navigate those challenges.

Read More »

Grandchildren Can Test Your Vanity

By Donne Davis | September 24, 2013

Grandchildren can be brutally honest when they’re young and make innocent observations about their grandparents’ looks. We need to keep our sense of humor in responding to them.

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 »

What Will My Grandchild Remember?

By Donne Davis | October 3, 2019

When we think about what we leave behind as grandparents, we hope we will have transmitted lessons about kindness, justice, strength and confidence, the boundless nature of love.

Read More »

Bloggy Boot Camp: Mommy Bloggers Meet in San Francisco

By Donne Davis | August 24, 2010

Here’s my summary of Bloggy Boot Camp in San Francisco, a day-long conference, offered by SITS Girls, for mommy bloggers to learn more about search engine optimization, driving up page views and building a comment tribe.

Read More »

5 Ways to Get Your Kids Exercising

By Donne Davis | July 6, 2010

Whether you are a mom, a grandma, or a caretaker, here’s something to consider: the exercise habits that kids form when they are young will likely be the ones they’ll carry with them into adulthood.

Read More »

GaGa Sisterhood Ranked in Top 12 Grandparent Blogs

By Donne Davis | September 9, 2010

The GaGa Sisterhood was named one of the Top 12 GRANDparent Blogs in GRAND Magazine’s 1st Annual Best of the Web 2010 Awards. Their decision was based on criteria such as content, ease of navigation, Web traffic and overall look and appeal.

Read More »

Moms—How Is Your Relationship with Your Child’s Grandparents?

By Donne Davis | February 14, 2012

I’ve been listening to grandmas about their role in the family. Now I ‘d like to hear the mom’s perspective.

Read More »

For the Love of Aimee

By Donne Davis | February 8, 2011

For the Love of Aimee is the story of a grandma who not only made a difference in her granddaughter’s life but made a difference in the lives of all children with special needs.

Read More »

Surrogate Grandparents Are Needed

By Donne Davis | February 11, 2019

Donna Skora started a Facebook group called Surrogate Grandparents – USA to help families find and connect with each other to form surrogate grandparent relationships.

Read More »

President Barack Obama Immortalized in Chopped Liver

By Donne Davis | January 19, 2009

Couple sculpts a chopped liver portrait of President Barack Obama

Read More »

Alienated Grandparent? I thought I was the only one.

By Donne Davis | November 6, 2019

Pat Hanson, author of “Invisible Grandparenting,” interviewed the founder of Alienated Grandparents Anonymous about her new book — “I Thought I Was the Only One: Grandparent Alienation … A Global Epidemic.”

Read More »

What Grandmas Want from Moms

By Donne Davis | November 7, 2016

We grandmas are not trying to take over your role as parents. We just want to be part of the team and support you in all the hard work you do to raise the grandchildren.

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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