Building the Grandma Brand

Yes, of course, you are a terrific grandma. At this very moment, I have six grandkids three and under and Bobby’s daughter, Kate, and her husband, Dan, have two little boys, almost four and two. And I am FUN. My grandkids call me CC. But right now, every time Alex and Scotty see me their eyes light up, and they hold up their little arms and scream “GOLF CART!” We ride in the golf cart for at least thirty minutes every morning they are at the lake. Lake Geneva has been shortened to Ninja by their little minds. I guess that sounds close (Ninja? Geneva?). We visit the park (a mini playground) and the lake; we get graham crackers (BIG cookies!) and go bumpety bump on the uneven bricks as we make our way to see the leaves, boats, ducks, and diggers (Alex is into trucks and cars, and there is always a digger somewhere near where we live at the lake). We put our feet in the water, go puddle jumping, and throw stones. It is the hit of their day at Lake Geneva and incredibly fun for me too; we probably did these activities at least twenty times last summer.

I believe building traditions is important and fun. Ask a young adult what traditions they remember, and you will be surprised how important some of their memories truly are. So, I am one who will drive myself crazy leaving “things” in my will to my kids and grandkids. I will go to the trouble of picking specific things that I want them to have. These are things that I hope one day will mean something to them and help build the continuity of family that is so important to me.

In my mind, that sort of connects with my wanting them to have special experiences JUST WITH ME that mean something to them over time. So, some things to think about: What are ways to build the “Grandma Brand?” That may sound commercial to you, but I have a lot of expertise in marketing and branding, and I know that big brands stand for something and repeat their message again and again. Of course, my main message is that I love them, will always be there for them, and want to help instill all the values we as a family believe in. But I also think about traditions that can mean a lot. So, while I was thinking of concepts for me, I thought I would share the following:

Think of building a tradition as simple as the golf cart ride (as long as they will go with me) at Lake Geneva. One day this will transition to a car, with me at the wheel—and then one day likely they will be driving me! Another tradition can start with an annual gift or you can build up to a trip, a car, or something incredible. Over the months or years, the collection, the event, or the experience develops into something wonderful. You can start this when they are infants, when they are ten, or whenever you are moved to do so. Any and all can be pretty darn exciting.

I love to give gifts, and the “immediate joy” is fun to see on a child’s face. But when you think of your own memories, you most likely remember places you went and things you did together with a grandparent. And even more fun is the building of experiences that repeat. Here are some gifts, collections, and experiences to think about:

Experiences

• Forget the “stuff” and be the “experience” guide. Take your grandchildren to museums, an airshow, a musical, or on an overnight campout. The concept, of course, is to “package” the experience and call it the same thing time after time. Send an invitation that looks the same each time to “announce the adventure” in a similar way. Adventures with CC (I really like this one)!
• Build Legos together month after month, culminating in a trip to the Lego store.
• Invite the kids for an overnight and have something special for breakfast: pancakes in any shape they like are so easy. Include fruit, nuts, and whipped cream. Or make Sunday “donut day” and share donuts with your grandkids.
• Surprise the grandchildren with tickets to a special concert or play: add culture to their lives, or be the super-cool grandma who sends her kids tickets to rock concerts, sporting events, or both—and goes with them. The idea here is to count on something that repeats over time. It’s another form of “Adventures with Grandma.”
• Invite all the kids to come and spend a week (or weekend) with you, and fill the time with activities from morning to night. Of course, when I invite my grandkids to Camp CC, I will find three or four events/activities that repeat each year. That’s the magic of traditions.
• Hold a neighborhood parade every Fourth of July. Decorate bikes and cars and have a blast.
• Paint your granddaughter’s toenails whenever she comes for a visit.

Gifts

• Give money each year to be banked until the kids are twenty-one.
• Purchase new gym shoes every year. Either send them to your grandchildren, or make it your thing to take them shopping.
• Buy your grandchildren a new lunch box or backpack each year.
• Buy a new first-day-of-school outfit each year. Again, take them shopping or have them send you links to items they would like from the Internet.
• Give each grandchild one fantastic ornament each Christmas. After twenty years, the children will be able to decorate a tree with sentimental memories.
• Start a collection of mini teapots or salt and pepper shakers.
• Give a leather-bound book each year, starting with fairy tales and graduating to classics.
• Assemble a Christmas village by giving one new piece every year.
• Grandma can pay for camp, gymnastics, or other experiences. But make it even more special by also giving a special flashlight, a leotard, or other tie-in. Talk with the kids or with their parents to find out what one special thing the kids want to do that you can make happen for them each year.
• Buy a quality metal car each year that can lead to a great car collection—and add to that the promise of a trip to the auto show each year.

So many ideas to create memories . . . choose a couple and build traditions!

Trips

• Take the family on a special trip once a year courtesy of Grandma. Every Christmas, your Christmas gift to your grandkids is something that relates to that trip. Assume the vacation is in February each year. The gift to the grandkids could be ski parkas or swimsuits, all wrapped up in a box with a description of the vacation location. Keeping it simple and going to a water park near a local Holiday Inn can be as fun as a trip to Colorado. It doesn’t have to be crazy costly. Maybe some years you splurge more than others. You can visit the national parks or Williamsburg, rent an RV and do a road trip, or go to the big city (for us, Chicago) and spend a night or two. Imagine how incredibly fun that is year after year—a Christmas gift that lasts for months, and memories that last forever.
• Think about a trip to Disney World. You could announce a trip that will take place at the “end of this year” and send a teaser every month to the family: a Disney guidebook, a Disney toy, a Disney backpack, a Disney T-shirt. You will be a hero and the excitement can last all year long. And buy little Disney toy animals before you go, keep them in your suitcase, and put one on their pillow each night! It’s cheaper and a fun treat!
• Find special travel books or mementos from special places and give a child one each year until they are twelve. On their twelfth birthday, you take them on the “special trip with Grandma and Grandpa.” You have lots of years to plan a trip while exploring travel books and the Internet.

I’m choosing which couple of these I will do. My grandkids are a little small right now, but I am thinking! And of course, this concept works for a favorite niece, nephew, godchild, or anyone with whom you want to share precious memories.