Grandmother Principles - Hardcover

Suzette Haden Elgin, an experienced grandmother of ten, covers all aspects of grandmothering, including mediating family arguments; learning the art of growing old gracefully; saying no without feeling guilty; coping with emergencies; managing resources - money, time, and energy; being a long-distance grandmother; keeping the family history; and teaching crafts to grandchildren. Dozens of sidebars provide invaluable tips on topics as diverse as traveling with kids, wonderful gifts that can be made on a copying machine, and the best grandparenting sites on the Internet.

In our rapidly evolving society grandmothers are more necessary than ever before. Author Suzette Haden Elgin. a grandmother of nine, has written this down-to-earth, compellingly readable book to give grandmothers of all ages and experience a guide to basic grandmothering skills. an invaluable reference, and a great comfort.

Guided by the Grandmother Principles -- commonsense aphorisms ranging from "The grandmother way is the easy way" to "Grandmother already have tenure" -- Elgin covers all aspects of grandmothering. Among the many topics addressed are mediating family arguments. coping with emergencies, getting family members to do things they are afraid or unwilling to do, and assembling a family story. Whether you're a traditional granny whose grandchildren live down the block or an ultramodern grandmother who sees the grandkids once a year, The Grandmother Principles is so inspiring and filled with so much indispensable information and advice that any grandmother will want to keep it close at hand at all times. Illustrated with delightful cartoons that underscore the joys and challenges of grandmotherhood, it makes the perfect gift for grandmothers to receive from their children, grandchildren, and other family members, or to give to themselves.