5 ways to celebrate National Grandparents’ Day

September 9th is “National Grandparents’ Day”, and members of the Los Angeles Jewish Home, the largest group of 90-year-olds in the US, have come up with their top five tips on how people of all ages, with or without grandparents, can mark the day.

1. Visit: If you don’t have one, visit residents of a nearby home and perhaps share a meal or conversation. Sixty percent of nursing home residents never have a visitor. The enriching benefit for young and old of such interaction is incalculable.

2. Write a note: If you can’t visit, send an old-fashioned note or card. Though computer use is on the upswing with seniors, remember that “good writing is clear thinking made visible;” and everyone likes to receive something personal — like a poem or artwork — in the mail.

3. Call: And if you forget to send a note in time, give a call. In a world of text messaging, taking the time to call goes a long way.

4. Ask questions: Grandparents are usually the ultimate repository of family history. Knowing it is being passed down to future generations is often a comfort to everyone in the family.

5. Adopt: People of all ages are willing to make new friends. Many seniors are not fortunate to have a family nearby. There are thousands of seniors who would love to be a foster grandparent.

8 things NOT to do to a professional nanny

The new movie “The Nanny Diaries” has the founder of the first and only English nanny school in America a bit perturbed about how nannies are portrayed.

Sheilagh Roth, founder and executive director of the English Nanny & Governess School in Chagrin Falls, OH, says, “Professional nannies — those trained for the role of nurturing and rearing children through childhood — would never, never tattle about what goes on in the personal lives of her employers.”

Here’s her list of eight “No-nos” for employees.

1. Respect: Don’t treat nannies as live-in slaves. They are professional child-care experts, not housekeepers, maids, or family chefs. Verbal abuse is not tolerated.

2. Duties: Don’t expect them to be on call 24/7. Duties outside of normal hours are considered overtime. Nannies sign contracts spelling out duties, benefits, and compensation.

3. Authority: Don’t allow other family members to give orders. Nannies report directly to the heads of the household.

4. Privacy: Don’t discuss the nanny’s private life. Nannies are trained to be discreet about your family matters and expect the same courtesy. Nannies should have separate and private living quarters.

5. Communication: Don’t abdicate child development responsibility. Open dialogue is essential for discussing the child’s developmental progress.

6. Vacation: Don’t automatically expect the nanny to accompany the family on vacation. Expect to pay for travel and overtime.

7. Exclusivity: Don’t expect the nanny to baby sit for your friends or relatives.

8. Clean-Up: Don’t expect your nanny to clean up after your parties or mishaps.

Nanny-Governess.com