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It was February 2020, and my second granddaughter Kami was 3 months old when she arrived for her first overnight at Amma and Papa’s house. Morgan (big sister) was 3 years old. Amanda was heading to Atlanta for a work-related trip and I was elated to get to snuggle that little bundle for a few days and to spend time doting on Morgan during Kami’s naptime. Even with the three-hour travel time, I am delighted when my kids get to spend a weekend at Grandma’s.
Fast forward, or crawl so slowly forward it almost didn’t feel like we were moving, to May 2021. That was the next time Kami and big sister Morgan came for an overnighter with us. I was elated, but would the girls share my excitement as a now 18 month old and 4 year old? Especially after a year of limited in person interaction with extended family? The weekend at Grandma’s was going to look a little different this time around!
I decided I needed to think through my strategy leading up to the weekend the girls would be with us.
The weekend went well, and I thought I would share some of the things we did to prepare for our time together. These six tips will be helpful to you as you are prepare for your grandkids to spend the weekend at grandma’s!
6 Ways to Set Yourself Up for Success For a Weekend at Grandma’s
1. Have a Countdown
We counted the number of sleeps until the kids arrived (beginning about a week out), and when they arrived we started counting down the number of sleeps to go back home. You can just do a verbal countdown, or use one of the many countdowns available in our Ultimate Countdown Guide.
2. Talk with your grandkids, or your grown kids, ahead of time and identify the following:
- favorite songs – download them or make a playlist.
- favorite stories or book series – head to your local library if it’s open!
- acceptable shows or screentime activities and amounts of time allowed – make a ‘menu’ of the titles, and kids can select from it. If there is a time limit, set a timer and have a plan for ‘what’s next’ when time runs out.
- mealtime and snack ideas – how fun to open grandma’s refrigerator and find your favorite yogurt! I also purchased some adorable little unicorn (it’s a favorite right now) plates for about 50 cents each at Walmart. These are extra fun for snacktime!
- bedtime rituals – bedtime is not the time of day to do the wrong thing. Avoid the meltdowns by knowing if you brush teeth, or read stories first!
3. Let them pack their own “things”
In addition to the necessary items like clothes and toiletries, encourage them to bring a small box or bag of their own choosing. Morgan brought some pre-k workbooks, extra shoes, a planner and her Highlights magazine with snack ideas to try. She loved packing “her things”, and proudly told us all about them. I think it gave her some ownership and comfort for her time away from her parents.
4. Clear your schedule.
I did my best to work extra during the days before, so that my days with the girls could be work free. I did have a few items to complete, but it was great to just be available for the things the girls wanted to do, or for the extra time it took us to do just about everything!
5. Document your time together.
I took so many pictures that weekend. Then, once the girls were back home, I sent Amanda a list of all the things we did, along with pictures. If your grandkids are a little older, you could end each day by writing a short story about all that you did. Or, get some large sheets of paper and add to your list with each new thing! We found that sending the info to Amanda helped them have a conversation about all the fun that we had together, and gave the girls a fun memory ‘book’ as well. It also helped me realize why Ron and I needed a nap!
6. Let go of the pressure for every minute to be happy and perfect
Don’t let yourself get so caught up in making every moment with your grandkids “grand” that you forget to have fun with them. Playing outside, splashing in a bowl of water with measuring cups is sometimes all you need to make their time with you special – because YOU are with them! At some point, someone will cry (my grandkids did) and you have to remember this is not a reflection of you. Settle the issue and move on.
We have a couple more sleepover weekends planned this year, and I’ll definitely be using these ideas again. Until then, I will enjoy all the pictures from this wonderful last visit!
