The average age of a first time grandparent in North America today is 48.

With today’s life expectancy being  78 in North America, (as opposed to 81.5 in Iceland and 41 in Zimbabwe) many of us may have 30 years or more of grandparenting ahead of us.   So  the question of how we want to fill the role of grandparent becomes an important one.

This is especially true since as today’s grandparents we are likely to be more educated than previous generations and also be active, self-confident with age-esteem and more globally aware.  We still have places to see and dreams to live.  Grand-parenting is just one role among many.

Whether you are a grandparent,  parent or grandchild this is a day to celebrate.  Grandparents are precious to their families and play a key role in our society.

• In the USA 5.7 million older persons are raising their grandchildren or heading a household that includes children.
• Grandparents care for 28% of preschoolers whose mothers are employed in the USA.
• 80% of US grandparents saw or spoke with their grandchildren by phone in the past month.
• Spending time with a grandparent is linked with better social skills and fewer behavior problems among adolescents. (US Concensus Bureau)
• In countries where AIDS is rampant, grandparents are often the sole living relatives to care for their grandchildren.  The generation of their own children has been wiped out by the disease.
• Even grandparents who may not have access to their grandchildren often remain AgeEsteem role models and mentors for both parents and grandchildren.

Senator Edward Kennedy is a prime example of someone who had to mature and grow in experience and wisdom in order to leave a positive heritage for the American people.  His early career was stained with scandals and mistakes. But his later career focused on making his country a better place to live.  It is the man of experience and wisdom that will be remembered.

We, too, can make our own communities more attractive places as we share our own experience, expertise and wisdom with AgeEsteem.

Among the 2,500 bills that Kennedy authored as Senator from 1962 – 2009 was the “Hospital Insurance Program under Social Security for the Aged” (Medicare) and the law barring age discrimination.

The Age Of Our Soul

We are the age of our soul.

Our soul is our inner essence, the basis of who we are and what we represent in this life.  Do I still have lessons to learn, talents and knowledge to share?  Do I still have places to go and people to meet?  Are there contributions I can make to my neighborhood, and therefore to the world?

If I have a joy for life, love myself and others, am able to influence the life of someone else in even the smallest way, my soul is alive and so am I!  Age is not a factor.  Living is what matters.

We Have No Age

Age doesn’t exist.  We have no age.

This confirms all of the other approaches.  Age in and of itself does not exist.

What matters is how we live our journey through life.  How we care for our health and how we meet each new day is of importance.  Some of us will live better in later years.  Some will regret earlier years.  What is most important is how we relate to the present.

• Do you make the most of this moment?
• How do you contribute to the world today?

Age doesn’t exist, only new experiences and fertile moments to be alive and thrive.

We reflect the age of those around us.

Do you find yourself acting and feeling differently as you relate to people of different ages?  I mean actually acting and feeling like you personally are living those ages?

When we are with little children it is almost natural to talk baby talk and to play.  Our age doesn’t change but our comportment does.

During the years that I worked at a university, I identified strongly with the students.  Interacting with young adults on a daily basis kept me up-to-date on the vocabulary, fads and interests of that age group.  Even though I was the teacher, I mirrored this age group constantly and internally felt like one of them in many instances.

This is also a good argument for having people of all generations in our lives.  Diversity brings a richness of opinions, approaches, and experiences.  Find ways to meet and interact with people of all ages.  It provides a great way to live and relive various stages of life.

The Age I Allow Myself To Be

Are you holding yourself back from activities you would enjoy because you think you are too old?

Who cares what others think?  Right, you do.  You care what they think.  I can understand this, so why not try the following.

• Think about something you would love to do but hold yourself back because you are afraid of what others might think.  An example might be to enter a dance contest.  Write down what you would like to do.
• Now think of the worst that could happen, the very worst.  Would you be locked up in prison?  Not likely.  Would you break a leg?  Possibly, but it isn’t probable.  Would people laugh?  Perhaps.  Maybe nothing negative would happen.
• Now ask, what is the best that could happen?  The answer may seem simple and non consequential  An example may be that you will have a good belly laugh or you will prove you can do it.

Look at these experiences like the first domino that sets off the reaction that sparks everything else that happens after the first move.

These baby steps in breaking down your self-imposed barriers will lead to further confidence.  Just as a baby learns to walk one step at a time, you will soon find yourself feeling at ease as you repeat your experience and allow yourself to grow into more new experiences,

I am the age I feel myself to be

This could also be worded: I am the age I allow myself to be.

Do I place barriers around me?  Do I forbid myself to live my life fully?  Am I controlling my life too closely?

People sometimes say, “You’re so lucky to be able to be silly.  I could never let myself do that at my age.  What would people think?”

My reaction is, “Hey, wait a minute.  Listen to what you’re saying.  You’re admiring something I do.  Yes, you are reacting positively saying you would like to do it too.  So why wouldn’t others react just as positively towards you if you allowed yourself to have fun, even be silly?  They might admire you for it!.”

What age do you feel yourself to be?

We Are The Age

WE ARE THE AGE…

• We are the age we feel ourselves to be.

• We reflect the age of those around us.

• Age doesn’t exist.  We have no age.

• We are the age of our soul.

All of the above reflect AgeEsteem, because how we see age is internal.  It is a state of mind.

How I relate to age and how I feel about my age works from the inside out.

We are the age we feel ourselves to be

Babies and AgeEsteem

Celebrate Each Success

Celebrate each success: When Baby tries something new, even if she doesn’t succeed, you applaud her and celebrate.  You know that each new success builds on past efforts.  She begins to walk by trial and fall, and we cheer her each step of the way.

• Allow – and even encourage – yourself and others to test your abilities, make mistakes, and learn from them.
• Applaud errors as part of the learning process.
• Recognize and celebrate the smaller successes.  They are necessary building blocks to achieve your goals.

No, it’s never too early to model your own age-esteem for a child nor is  it ever too late to learn lessons of age-esteem from children!