There was a time when families lived close together. Grandparents were in the same town and were always around to watch the grandkids and attend all their events. Grandparents had an active role and were often taken for granted. Today the modern family is often spread across the country.
Grandparents become people seen at holidays or major events such as graduation or weddings.
Children sometimes know grandparents only as a signature on a gift check or an overly-affectionate older person seen once a year at Christmas. Despite the distance, it is not only possible but imperative that grandparents remain an active force in their grandchildren's life. A conmnection with a grandparent is a bond like no other to a child. It is a link to the past, a reminder that parents were once children too. Grandparents make history come alive linking children to another time and putting a personal stamp on past events.