“Grie” and Rick “Papa” Stermole spend a lot of time with their two grandchildren, Weston, 5, and Hollyn, 7. Lora, who got her special name from Hollyn, whose speech delay prevented her from saying “Grammy,” frequently watches the kids for her daughter, Stacie Kershner. Lora also sews the grandkids’ clothes and takes them on special outings. As a retired pre-school teacher, she incorporates educational activities into playtime. Rick allows the grandkids to help drive his boat and likes taking them to Home Depot for the woodworking sessions. He also is teaching Weston to golf. “I am thrilled they get to have such a close relationship,” says Stacie. “My parents being nearby – and young for grandparents – means that my kids get to build relationships with them, independent of me.” Kershner also likes that her parents are able to pass on skills such as baking and golf that she can’t. The tight relationship between her parents and children also helps relieve the family. Besides helping with babysitting, her parents are helping to send Hollyn to a private special needs therapeutic school this academic year.
Grandparents Nancy and Rowland Hawthorne live within walking distance of their grandchildren.
“We just love being a part of their life,” Nancy says. In fact, she and Rowland moved from Denver after 40 years to be near them. “We decided that [the girls] are our only grandchildren and that we wanted to see them grow up and be a part of their lives. That’s what we’ve done, and it’s been very, very much fun.”
Cont’d on page 20
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September 2011 Atlanta Parent 19