A parent has cares for their children, teaches them right and wrong and allows them to grow into adulthood. A parent will let them make mistakes and offer guidance when they stray wrong. A grandparent is the parent of a parent. They are delighted to see their grandchildren when possible and know that their children are busy and cannot come as often as they may want. A grandparent sends loving wishes and respects the fact that their grandchildren are growing and need time to spend with their friends and their parents.
Grandparents do provide a legacy and can tell stories of the past.
These stories are full of a rich history. They leave a legacy of abuse, of arrests, of alcoholism and drug use. This is not a past that people would be proud of. Heritage can be very important but not when it has such a negative aspect. No one truly wants to be related to Jack the Ripper or Paul Bernardo or Jeffry Dahmer.