Come to think of it, I also had close contact with one set of my grandparents because they lived with us when I was young. My kids even had a special relationship with one of my grandfathers when he came to live with us. I remember how they took turns holding his hands when they went for walks. Grandpa also stopped on his way to his room each night to kiss my sleeping son. But that kind of closeness isn't always possible today.
People are more mobile now.
Some of the grandparents who attended the Rice Valentine's Day breakfast may not have seen their grandchildren since Christmas because they live several hours away. Some may live too far away to even come, he acknowledges. Being into grandparenthood, he also is coming to understand the feeling of separation of some grandparents who live too far away for an everyday relationship. Distance doesn't change the feelings of caring and loving, Clepper says. There's a learning curve to contend with during the Valentine's Day Breakfast.