National Grandparents Day falls this year on September 9th and although it is mainly recognised in the USA it is becoming more popular in other countries and will hopefully be a global celebration in time. Sadly, my children don't have any living grandparents at all and they wish that they had. They realise they are missing out on something special. Families without grandparents because they live in another country are missing out too. National Grandparents Day is a lovely occasion to honor grandparents living or not, close to home or far away.

Marian McQuade came up with the idea for National Grandparents Day (NGD). She wanted to draw attention to the loneliness elderly people can experience whilst living in residential care. She also wanted young people to recognise the contributions their grandparents make in society and to share their common heritage. The day was declared an annual celebration, by the US President Jimmy Carter, in 1978.
www.grandparents-day.com

Email, the Internet and digital cameras help to keep dispersed families in touch and grandchildren, who do not live around the corner, can have a direct link to their grandparents and the past if they are all online. In fact, getting grandparents a computer is a popular gift idea but they rarely come with training. So although grandparents may have a computer and Internet access surveys show they both tend to be under-used. What a shame - the Internet is a goldmine of information and activities. These technology guidance sites for seniors offer advice.
www.silversurfers.net/about.html
www.silversurfersday.org
www.mrmodem.net

It's no surprise that when parents and grandparents enjoy a close relationship a strong bond with the next generation will develop too. What may be less obvious is that constant effort is needed on all sides to keep the relationship lively and fun, especially when long distances are involved. The Legacy Project has some interesting tips and publications.
www.tcpnow.com/guides/acrossgen.html

Recently someone told me I was an orphan. It felt strange. When I think of an orphan I think of a child, Harry Potter for example, not myself. But I am an orphan and despite my age my sense of loss, and my children's, is real. To compensate a little, my husband keep memories of our parents alive for our children. We include them in everyday conversation with funny stories or granny-isms and we make time to laugh at old photographs and share their lives. These links address the challenges particular to parent-less parents but have ideas about family legacy and creating memories for the future that have wider appeal too.
www.alwaystoosoon.com
www.parentlessparents.com

Vacations with my grandparents were always fun - lots of ice cream, late bed times, and beach-combing. Simple stuff really, but great memories none-the-less. Holidays with your granny have become a lot more sophisticated now with specialist companies offering exclusive trips to help commemorate graduations and anniversaries. Of course, copious ice cream, hangout holidays work just as well, but in case your are planning something here are two established companies.
www.elderhostel.com/programs/intergenerational_default.asp
www.grandtrvl.com/web/guest/Home

I asked a grandmother I know to recommend some popular sites. Her personal favourites are comedy and news sites but she finds these these "granny" informative and topical.
www.grandkidsandme.com
www.grandmagazine.com/grandparenting_guide.asp
www.proudgrandparents.co.uk
www.goodgranny.com

And some granddaddy sites too… (Thanks Margaret)
www.grandtimes.com/Twenty_Ways.html
www.aarpmagazine.org/entertainment/Articles/a2004-01-21-mag-billycrystal.html
www.fathers.com/content/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=194&Itemid=62

Researching the family genealogy is a project everyone can get involved with and not surprisingly there are lots of websites offering ancestry services. However, the historical accuracy of the information may not always be reliable so if you are serious, some good old-fashioned digging, at a public records office or library, is probably still on the cards. Here are two respected sites.
www.cyndislist.com
www.familysearch.org

KIDS ZONE
Grandparents are the best! Follow the link for the top 10 reasons in an e-card format. "You know my parents weren't perfect." is my favourite.
http://hicards.com/platinum/top10/card73.html