Episode 112: How to Grandparent with Wisdom and Love

Three and a half years ago, we stepped into a whole new world with the birth of our first grandchild. Everyone told us that this new chapter would be full of joy, laughter, and love for this tiny person. And they weren’t wrong!

Still, we had no idea just how amazing grandparenting would be, and soon we were dropping everything for the chance to see him and make memories together. Today, we are the grandparents of three little ones (and another one on the way) and we love to spoil them like crazy.

But we also know that being a grandparent is about so much more than the fun, silly moments—we are called to a special role that is very significant in their lives. Our latest guest, Larry McCall, knows this responsibility well. He is a pastor, author of the book Grandparenting With Grace, and the grandfather of six kids. Larry has a passion to equip followers of Christ to have an impact on their grandchildren’s lives both now and for eternity.

In this episode, Larry shares:

Our biblical call as grandparents
Ways to cultivate a close relationship with grandchildren
The importance of respecting boundaries
And much more!

Christian grandparenting resources are such a blessing—but sometimes, it can feel like they are few and far between. That’s why we are so grateful for this conversation, and we hope it serves as an inspiration and encouragement on your grandparenting journey. Enjoy!

Links:

[BOOK] Grandparenting with Grace: Living the Gospel with the Next Generation
Connect with Larry on his website, Facebook, or Instagram
Grandparenting with Grace 7-Part Session on YouTube
[BOOK] Get our NEW book, One-Minute Prayers for Grandparents
[BOOK] Courageous Grandparenting: Building a Legacy Worth Outliving You
[BOOK] Biblical Grandparenting: Exploring God’s Design for Disciple-Making and Passing Faith to Future Generations
[BOOK] Overcoming Grandparenting Barriers: How to Navigate Painful Problems with Grace and Truth

Our Takeaways:

1) Start when they are young. It may feel like when your grandchild is first born, there isn’t much of an impact you can have in the way of building a relationship. But don’t underestimate those early days of providing love and safety. Creating small habits early is a great way to invest in their lives from the beginning. Even while rocking a day-old baby, you can sing Christian lullabies, pray for them, or even recite Scripture.

2) Consider what you can do, even from afar. It’s easy to focus on what you can’t do if you have grandchildren who live far away. However, you can still find all sorts of ways to connect with them no matter the physical distance that separates you. Here are just a few of the ideas that Larry shared in our conversation: host a grandchildren weekend, plan for regular visits to their home, host a Bible study video call, and send regular care packages.

3) Don’t neglect your children or in-laws. It’s easy to get caught up in spoiling the grandbabies and giving them our full attention. But we must not forget to care for their parents, too! You can do this by remembering their birthdays (not just their children’s), praying for them, inquiring how they are doing, getting feedback on how you can work with them, and supporting their parenting. Remember, one of the best ways to care for your grandchildren is by supporting their parents.

Meet Our Guest

Larry McCall is a pastor, author, and grandparent to six. His books include Walking Like Jesus Did, Loving Your Wife as Christ Loves the Church, and Grandparenting with Grace. Larry has a passion for equipping followers of Christ to have an impact on their grandchildren’s lives both now and for eternity. He has been married to his wife, Gladine, since 1975 and they have three married children and six grandchildren.