There’s nothing quite like being a grandparent. It’s right up there, just after the joys of being a mom.
In 1970, Marian McQuade initiated a campaign to establish a day to honor grandparents. In 1978, President Jimmy Carter signed a federal proclamation, declaring the first Sunday after Labor Day as National Grandparents Day. This day has been celebrated every year since to honor the nation’s grandparents.
There are 70 million grandparents in America.
In 2014, 7.2 million grandchildren under age 18 were living with their grandparents, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Also in 2014, 2.6 million grandparents were caring for the basic needs of one or more grandchildren under age 18 who were living with them. Of these caregivers, 1.6 million were grandmothers and 1 million were grandfathers.
In a Grandparents Day proclamation, President Barack Obama said:
Every day, families and communities across the globe benefit from the too often unheralded wisdom and devotion of dedicated grandparents – women and men who blazed trails, broke down barriers, and shaped the world we know today. On National Grandparents Day, we honor America's grandparents as the backbone of our communities, and acknowledge the progress they forged so that their children and grandchildren could live out their dreams.
In our grandmothers and grandfathers, we see a reflection of what is possible with hard work, grit, and determination. Their fight for inclusivity and opportunity for all can be seen in boardrooms and courthouses across our country, and their efforts helped build the world's largest, most durable economy and strongest middle class. This enduring legacy spans generations and will empower innovators and leaders for years to come.
Best wishes on Grandparents Day. I hope you’re lucky and get to spend some time with your grandkids today.
