Grandparenting with a Purpose: Effective Ways to Pray for your Grandchildren
Grandparents can be great encouragers or cheerleaders when their grandchildren get discouraged, lack self-confidence and low self-esteem. They often face lots of homework, activities, disappointments, challenges, and fears. Encouragement is inspiring another person with hope, courage, or confidence. It literally means ‘to give courage to’ a person, to reassure them, spur them on, support their efforts to succeed. A definition for a cheerleader is to be an uncritical enthusiastic supporter.
One of the most valuable blessings that we can give our grandchildren is to be their cheerleader. Their enthusiasm and energy levels are low, and emotional batteries may be drained if they are discouraged and don’t feel good about themselves. They tend to focus on their discouragement rather than the encouraging promises of the Lord.
When my grandchildren were younger, they loved to watch the Gaither children’s video “I’m Something Special.” I especially liked the words in the song “I am a promise, a possibility, a potentiality, I can be what God wants me to be,”¹ Let’s pray for our grandchildren to understand that they are a promise, a possibility and a potentiality under construction.
As grandparents, let’s be their cheerleaders encouraging them with positive words
such as:
“Keep up the great work!”
“I admire your persistence.”
“I know you can do it.”
“You’ve put a lot of work into this, and it shows.”
“I want you to overcome! I want you to succeed.”
Encouragement is always a welcomed gift.
¹ YouTube, “I am a Promise” (A good video for children)
By Lillian Penner
I came here because you asked for feedback on your blog. The set up is beautiful. Very professional and appealing. And I like your message. My only suggestion is that you add some hyperlinks to your text. That’s when you highlight something like “I am a Promise”, put the web address in, and make it a direct link to the youtube video.
Another great reason to put hyperlinks throughout your blog posts is that Google notices them and gives you more exposure when people are searching, so it can increase traffic to your blog.
I’m a grandmother too. I love the Gaither song. I’m going to play it for my grandchildren. Thanks for reminding me.
Grandparents do need to always let their grandchildren know that they are capable of great things. But I think praise should be earned and not given for every tiny thing. That renders it worthless.