Grandparents Today

The Everyday Granny

Welcome to a grassroots podcast that explores the messy, funny, raw, and beautiful reality of grandparenting across generations. From navigating modern family dynamics and keeping sane, to the bittersweet love that stretches across time, this show lifts the curtain on what it truly means to give of our very selves and to leave a legacy. Through intimate family recordings, blunt wisdom, and a touch of dry wit, we tackle the joys, the hurdles, and the ultimate rule of family life: enforcing the household swear jar. Follow now to stay connected. Want to be our guest? Check our show notes!

  1. Sep 28

    Storms and Safe Harbours: Grandparenting Through Family Addiction

    Sometimes being a grandparent is a walk in the park filled with hugs and easy laughter. Sometimes, it is a painful, quiet rescue mission. In this week's episode of Grandparents Today, we share a deeply moving, monologue from a grandmother navigating the reality of a daughter's opioid addiction, co-occurring mental illness, and the grandchildren caught in the middle. With extraordinary vulnerability, our guest portrays the heartbreaking reality of trying to establish a safe haven for her young grandsons, the pain of watching them walk on eggshells, and the ultimate realization—echoed by actor Michael Douglas—that love alone cannot cure addiction. She also shares beautifully how she protects her own mental well-being from burnout using the power of acceptance, letting go of corrosive resentment, and leaning on mindfulness to anchor her life while waiting for her grandsons to grow up. To protect the privacy of her family this guest appears anonymously. Key Takeaways: The Power of the Haven: How simple constants like clean sheets, regular meals, and a calm environment make a difference.The Unwritten Rules of Loyalty:Understanding the survival behaviours children display when caught between a struggling parent and worried grandparents.The Corrosion of Resentment: Why protecting your own mental space from anger and hostility is vital to surviving a long-term family crisis.Diluting the Pain: Looking closely at a powerful mindfulness approach by Christophe André to handle overwhelming ruminations and worry.The Long Game: How two teenage boys eventually 'opened their eyes' and reached out to their grandparents to build a better future.Join the Conversation:Have you had to act as a stable anchor during a family crisis, while trying to preserve your own mental health? Share your thoughts and wisdom over at our GrandparentsToday Facebook Page. Or message us to be a guest … we would love to hear from you! 🏡 Help build our Grand Community: Like us, follow us, and be sure to share us with all of your Grandest friends! Music Credits: Theme Track: "Breath of Autumn" by White Records. Background Music: "Slow Tide" by u_98673jp944 via Pixabay. Background Music: "Drama" by AtlasAudio via Pixabay.]

  2. Sep 21

    What Happens at Nanna’s: Rules, Reality, and the Safe Space

    What happens when an early childhood specialist becomes a grandmother? Join us for a fascinating, deeply honest look at the delicate tightrope of modern grandparenting. This is a must-listen for any grandparent trying to figure out exactly where they fit in their grandchildren's rapidly changing worlds. In this episode of Grandparents Today, we sit down with a grandmother who is navigating the friction between parental boundaries and grandmotherly love. From the playful era of "Naughty Nanna" t-shirts and sugar treats, and the importance of a being a safe space, to the reality of grandkids presenting differently as they grow towards their teens … the conversation dives right in. We explore: Ice Cream Maker Memories: Looking back at some simple pleasures of a 1940s childhood.The Trust Tightrope: How to handle the moral dilemma when a grandchild shares a secret.Autonomy vs. Authority: When "Nana's house, Nana's rules" clashes with Mum and Dad boundaries.The Ultimate Legacy: Why creating an unconditional safe space and simply having fun matters infinitely more than teaching strict moral tales. 💬 Join the Conversation:What advice did your own grandparents give you? How do you navigate conflicting rules and regs? Jump onto our Grandparents Today Facebook Page and let us know! 🎧 Enjoying the show?Don't miss our major National Grandparents Day Tribute Show dropping on Sunday, 25 October! Hit the Follow button right now so each new episode lands straight in your feed the second it goes live. Thank you for being here ... and come back soon :) Theme Music: "Breath of Autumn" by White Records.

  3. Sep 13

    👉 The Grandparent Dynamic Part 1: Reading the Room and Long Distance Love

    What does it mean to support your adult children when they have a newborn, and to pour your own love into that precious little bundle? How do you show up in a busy household without overstepping? 👵🍼 Welcome to Grandparents Today. In Part 1 of this gorgeous conversation, your host the Everyday Granny sits down with Nanny Sue to explore the no-nonsense Grand-skill of "reading the room". Touching on how her own childhood experiences shaped the kind of grandmother she chose to become, Sue also explains how she consciously chose not to be the opinionated voice saying, "In my day..." (because we all know how that comes back to bite you on the bum!), and instead learned to read and respond to the exact energy levels of a household running on empty. Finally, Sue takes us through the shock of a sudden family relocation to Canada … sharing her practical and creative wisdom on how she kept the Grand-bond alive across the globe using FaceTime sessions and a custom-made Fun with Nanny picture book. This is an episode packed with real family architecture, highlighting the delicate art of filling your own cup when lifepulls your grandkids away. You’ll discover all about: Reading the Room: How to step into an exhausted household and quietly help without asking a hundred and one questions.The Canada Sting: Navigating the deep grief of a long-distance family migration, and how to move forward.The Fun with Nanny Books: A brilliant, practical strategy for keeping toddlers familiar with your face from thousands of miles away.Community Grandparenting: Why filling the void bystepping up for other lonely kids in your local community can save your mental health.Connect with us: Never miss a real, raw story from Grandparents Today—hit Follow right now.Did your grandkids ever move far away? How did you keep the connection alive? Share your stories on our official Grandparents Today Facebook Page. Want to be our guest on the show? Share your story here.   Theme Music: "Breath of Autumn" by White Records.

  4. Sep 1

    Zipping Your Lip: Grandparent Diplomacy 101

    “If you don't have a relationship with your grandchildren when they're young, you'll never have one. You've got to have that relationship as children, because otherwise, you're just a stranger in their life.” What happens to your role as a grandparent when your adult children split up? Suddenly, you are walking one of the trickiest tightropes in family life. 🛑🗺️ In this honest episode of Grandparents Today, Emily joins us to share her experience of a parental separation when her grandchild was just three years old. Instead of gettingpulled into the drama or choosing a side, Emily and her husband made a firm, immediate boundary: stay completely neutral. Emily speaks strongly to the discipline of keeping your mouth shut, refusing to listen to venting sessions, and keeping your eyes strictly on the prize: a lifelong relationship with your grandchild before they grow up and become a stranger. In this episode, you’ll hear about: The Neutrality Pact: Why choosing a side is the fastest way to get cut off from your grandkids.The Zip-Your-Mouth Rule: How setting firm boundaries with your own adult children protects the peace.Spotting the Manipulation: Why kids manipulate when parents separate, and how to stay even-handed.The Crucial Window: Why building a relationship during childhood is a non-negotiable foundation for the future.Follow us now to stay connected. Have you had to navigate a family split as a grandparent? Be the first to start a discussion on our Grandparents Today FacebookPage. ⁠Want to be our guest? ⁠⁠Share your story here. ⁠  Theme Music: "Breath of Autumn" by White Records.

About

Welcome to a grassroots podcast that explores the messy, funny, raw, and beautiful reality of grandparenting across generations. From navigating modern family dynamics and keeping sane, to the bittersweet love that stretches across time, this show lifts the curtain on what it truly means to give of our very selves and to leave a legacy. Through intimate family recordings, blunt wisdom, and a touch of dry wit, we tackle the joys, the hurdles, and the ultimate rule of family life: enforcing the household swear jar. Follow now to stay connected. Want to be our guest? Check our show notes!