Grandparents have always held a special place in families. For most, grandparents were and are a very important element of the extended family and add so much love and benefit to grandchildren. Long ago, grandparents were deeply respected as holders of knowledge. As the years have gone by, some may forget just how much a grandparent knows. When the economy leaned towards a double working income, in other words, most running households needed both mother and father to be working in order to live well, grandparents took on a whole new meaning as they are often the first line in the quest for baby-sitters. Grandparents should always be looked upon as highly capable, intelligent and important people. It is for that reason that many people spent quite a lot of effort to make Grandparent Day exist.
In the year 1970, Marian Lucille Herndon McQuade who lived in West Virginia in the United States decided to begin her efforts to create a holiday just for grandparents: the Grandparent Day. She was a very popular woman and was able to use her contacts through her church and other contacts to talk to political leaders and those of importance in the business and civic world. They tried to reach as many people as possible in the state of West Virginia. The senator at the time, Jennings Randolph was very helpful in her efforts.
Only three years after beginning her efforts, the very first Grandparent Day was created in the state of West Virginia. Simultaneously, the senator brought the idea to the United States senate; however it stayed in limbo for quite a while. Determined to stay resolute and steadfast in her efforts, Mrs. McQuade and her helpers went to the media for aid. They got in touch with other senators, governors and congressmen in every state of the United States. She also used the method of reaching out to people via mailings; letters were sent to countless churches and organizations that had an interest in the elderly. To great pleasure, the bill to create a national Grandparent Day went into effect in 1978 when former President Jimmy Carter signed a bill that pronounced that Grandparent Day would occur on the first Sunday after Labor Day. The reason that the month of September was chosen was because fall is a time of change; the autumn season brings about many changes and signifies how the year is becoming older. This seemed like a perfect month to have a Grandparent Day.
The day is set aside to honor grandparents and honorary grandparents throughout the States. The day is also to offer grandparents a special day to show their love for their grandchildren and for all people to understand and recognize how important the elderly are.
Now, this special day of Grandparent Day is celebrated by countless people. It is a wonderful day on which families share time together. Schools, churches and other organizations also observe this day to honor those who are reaching their golden years. It is a perfect day to adopt a grandparent. This day brings awareness to the many elderly people who are living alone or in nursing homes and are in great need of an “adopted” grandchild. This can be so beneficial to both parties and truly gives the elderly a wonderful reason to interact with others.
Families and others who celebrate this day often create their own traditions. These usually include a dinner and some time that is set aside for story telling. The family will sit around in a relaxed environment and the grandparents can tell stories of what their lives were like when they were younger. Some families will have the tradition of looking at old family photograph albums; this can often lead to many interesting stories. A grandparent who has a special talent can use this day to pass along their hobby to the family, as well. No matter how the day is celebrated, one should never forget how important grandparents are.