Grandparents are gift to future generations
On Sept. 8, grandparents in the High Plains can take a bow for their commitment to future generations.
The tradition calls for the special day to be celebrated on the first Sunday after Labor Day. The roots of National Grandparents Day began with the work of Jacob Reingold and Marian McQuade, according to grandparentsday.org. During a 1961 White House Conference on Aging, Reingold of the Hebrew Home at Riverdale, New York, was inspired by a speech concerning the “new image of the aged” and focused on recognizing the role of millions of older Americans who are grandparents.
On Sept. 16, 1961, the first day specifically honoring grandparents was held at the Hebrew Home. In 1963, it became an official holiday in the borough of the Bronx. The Congressional Record later affirmed Reingold’s initiative.
In 1970, McQuade began a campaign to establish a special day, and in 1973, the first Grandparents Day in West Virginia was proclaimed by Gov. Arch Moore.
Reingold and McQuade’s work culminated in 1978 when Congress passed legislation proclaiming the first Sunday after Labor Day as National Grandparents Day, and a presidential proclamation was signed by President Jimmy Carter.
Back then, perhaps the younger generation may have thought of their grandparents as people who sat on the porch or in a rocking chair in the twilight of their lives. Today’s generation likely has a much different perspective. The average life expectancy of an American man is about 75 years of age, and it’s more than 80 years for a woman. That was far different from 1961, when Reingold began his journey to celebrate grandparents, as the life expectancy was 70 and 74, respectively.
In our rural communities, today’s grandparents are a linchpin for several generations. Some are tasked with raising grandkids—a product of changing family dynamics—while others provide childcare so that moms can go to work. Others help by continuing to run a grain cart or combine during wheat harvest. Demographics say that trend is likely to continue.
When it comes to grandparents, I prefer to wax nostalgic and remember mine as ironclad in their beliefs, with a wealth of experience grounded in the Great Depression. They knew the importance of staying together, praying for each other and waiting for better economic times. They were rocks within the family, and their DNA—reinforced by my parents—continues through myself and my brothers. We often joke about “Where did that mannerism originate?” Grandparents then rarely let on if they faced physical pain. They, too, fought loneliness and faced financial hardships.
Their challenges were shared with their children, but with an unwritten code that those concerns were to be kept in the inner circle. Upon reflection, that was the right move. It wasn’t their way to talk about it in a large family gathering. Later in life I was able to tap into those questions that enlightened me about who they were and the challenges that defined them.
Today I am glad that grandparents are more willing to share their stories and insights with grandchildren. In the High Plains, those experiences are valuable to keep past wisdom alive as it benefits all of us and can be nurtured in our schools, churches and communities.
Grandparents and their families should celebrate Sept. 8 as it is an achievement worth relishing with smiles and good cheer.
Dave Bergmeier can be reached at 620-227-1822 or [email protected].
