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209<div class="mt-3 accent-font font-header-medium text-uppercase">February 16, 2026</div>
210<div class="mt-4 text-break fw-bold mb-2" itemprop="name">Grandparenting 101</div>
211<div class="mt-4 text-break rich-text" itemprop="articleBody"><p>When my son and daughter-in-law first shared the news they were expecting twins, they s
211aid, “We’re going to need your help.”</p><p>I thought, <em>Well, yeah, who wouldn’t?</em> I didn’t allow myself to dwell on what that meant, happy to live in the pre-birth moments of anticipatory joy. Besides, I knew my husband and I would do whatever we could to help after the babies were born.</p><p>Then a friend of mine, also an expectant grandma, told me about a grandparenting class that was offered by a hospital near her. “It’s a ton of great information, Leah. Things have changed since our kids were little.”</p><p>That got my attention. Attention morphed into near panic. I hadn’t changed a diaper in more than 30 years! I wasn’t up to date on all the safety issues – like sleeping positions, what and when to feed them. Would I be able to wrestle them into the new style of car seats?</p><p>Multiply that by two (twins!) and my anxiety was building.</p><p>Luckily, I was able to sign up for a grandparenting class, taught by a grandma who was an RN. The most valuable piece of information she gave us: You are not the parent. Don’t give unsolicited advice. If something bothers you, you <em>could </em>say, “What does your pediatrician think about that?” (FYI, I've never had to use the line.)</p><p>The most frightening thing she shared: Sobering statistics about the percentage of accidents that occur when the baby is in the grandparents’ care. Uh….good to know. Yikes.</p><p>She also had samples of some really cool utensils and other techniques today’s parents have available. For example, a lot of today’s babies start on solid foods with…solid foods, like bite-sized pieces, not pureed versions like my kids did. That one freaked me out. Picture me poised to leap into action to fish chunks of food out of their mouths!</p><p>Happy, while hubby and I have both fished things from their mouths, none of the instances have been emergencies, and none due to menu choice!</p><p>In fact, my worries about diapering and the rest were quickly put to rest in that first second I held them, shortly after birth</p><p>Since then, we’ve spent most weekdays with the girls. We’ve had the joy of experiencing many of their “firsts” (or near first moments) – from rolling over to tummy crawls to first steps. We’ve learned their unique personalities and their many differences in preferences, from food choices to sock-wearing.</p><p>Now that they're toddlers, we spend hours playing peek-a-boo, dancing, singing, reading (a lot), building and knocking down block towers, running through the house (a toddler version of hide-and-seek), and so much more. There isn't a day without laughter and joy.</p><p>In  short, every day is a blessing.</p><p>Now, if someone would invent a transporter (à la Star Trek!) so we could get to New Jersey (and granddaughter number three!) in the blink of an eye, my life would be perfect.</p><p> </p></div>
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