Blog 3909 – 08.06.2026

My Two Cents On Being A Grandparent 

Yesterday, my granddaughter Emma Grace turned three years old. Seventy-six years ago this November 22nd when the pictured penny was still shiny and new I turned three too. This penny and I have seen a lot of things come and go in our adventure in time and space. Emma will as the song What A Wonderful World says, “Learn much more than I’ll ever know.” I am grateful that Emma came along to teach me what it means to be a grandpa, a Poppa.

I read recently how important grandparents are to children. Our role according to the article is to show them unconditional love. So many loves are transactional – “I will love you if you do this for me, if you behave the way I expect you too.”Grandparents have lived long enough to know that children need someone to just love them for no reason, no matter what. 

Well, that’s my two cents on why children need grandparents. Our grown children often remark, “How can you be a better grandparent than you ever were a parent?” The answer is we learn a few things from our mistakes, but more than that, it takes a grandchild coming into our lives to teach us how to really love.

Your friend, fellow traveler, and Emma’s proud Poppa,

David James White

In case you are curious, here is what the other side of the coin looks like.