I’m thrilled to announce the release of Wondrous Child: The Joys and Challenges of Grandparenting, a new anthology of 29 vivid essays by grandparents and grandchildren from diverse backgrounds. The book is edited by Lindy Hough, co-founder of North Atlantic Books and a grandmother herself.
As one of the contributors to Wondrous Child, I’m proud to say there’s a vast array of wisdom and experiences in these stories. They capture an honest yet tender panorama of contemporary grandparenting that will inspire grandparents to persevere when they face the inevitable challenges of navigating multi-generational relationships. The book is also meant to help new parents partner with the grandparents of their children to build a strong extended family.
Wondrous Child is divided into four parts.
- Part One, Settling In: New grandparents describe their expectations, often lowering them.
- Part Two, Balancing Reality and Hope: Takes a deeper look at complexities—among them, step-grandparenting, geographical distance, and getting along with grown children.
- Part Three, Grandparents Raising Grandchildren: Has five powerful essays from men and women parenting their grandchildren full-time.
- Part Four, Grandchildren Remember: Seven adults write about their beloved and intriguing grandparents.
The essays in this anthology would make a great starting point for grandparents and their adult children to begin a conversation about what they each hope for in this important relationship.
Wondrous Child is a fabulous book, and your piece really resonated with me, although our family structures and dynamics are quite different. “When I first became a grandma, I was surprised by the complexity of my new role. My own grandmas made it look so easy.” Being a grandma is harder today, I believe. Everyone’s expectations for us are higher, including our own.
Read my review of Wondrous Child, which I’ve added to my short list of grandparenting books.