Let’s talk about the ripple effects of intentional grandparenting. Because my children have benefitted so very much from the care and love of their grandparents. I love to think of that love rippling into so many aspects of their lives. Each year when we come away from our family reunion at Bear Lake, I feel that these kids have been fitted with new armor to help them through the tough things that will come along. This happens most deliberately through my dad’s “Grandfather’s Secrets” and my mom’s “Grammie Camps.”
You see, my parents have set up these pretty cool “clubs” for their grandkids. Opportunities to teach them and help them navigate the world with the best values. And also providing opportunities for them know they are part of something so much bigger than themselves.
Out of all the motion and chaos and beauty and family togetherness at our family reunions, some of my very top favorite memories each year include listening to all the grandkids trying to memorize all the Grandfather’s Secrets together in little huddles. I also love to hear them deep at work memorizing the artists and composers of famous paintings and classical music for Grammie Camps. I mean, prizes are always up for grabs, so you know they were going for it. There’s nothing like a little peer pressure 🙂
What is Grammie Camp?
Each summer my mom painstakingly lays out “Grammie Camp” for all the different “Groups” of grand-kids ages five and up. She takes them, group by group, up to where she and my dad stay, and creates all kinds of wonder for them.
Art and Music Memorization
I love that she gives them lists of composers and famous art works to memorize before they come because she is a lover of music and art.
Lessons about Ancestors
She teaches them about their ancestors in such meaningful and fun ways. One year they dressed up as ancestors and gave reports about their lives.
I love this little diagram Lucy did about her ancestors:
They usually do some sort of art project. I love that my dear mother has instilled in all of us a love of art. I couldn’t be more glad that she’s sharing that with the grandchildren too.
Work Projects
Sometimes they do work projects too. And really, what kids come out of a work project glowing? These ones do.
Although I know that things like that take a bunch of work, preparation and effort, my mom finds so much joy in it.
She acts like it’s just the easiest thing in the world to take bouncing kids to a cemetery to visit the graves of ancestors, make cookies or crepes with too many eager hands vying for attention, stay up late, teach them how to weed and work hard just like she does, and she even has fun in the process.
At least that’s what she claims 
Earning Fun Stuff from Memorization
And they have the chance to earn all kinds of little gifts by memorizing before-the-reunion assigned artists and musicians.
Do Parents Attend?
Parents can attend if they want, but let me tell you, they don’t usually “want.” I mean, when the beach is calling and someone is offering to take care of your kids for a little while? And teach them awesome things while infusing them with wisdom? Yeah, you don’t want to mess with that.
So I don’t know many details of what happened up there this year, only that those cousin groups were working their hearts out to learn the names of their great, great grandparents and how to tell a Rousseau painting from a Monet.
My brother Josh who does not have his own kids is always recruited to help and these kids sure love him. 
Then there’s my dad and his own version of intentional grandparenting. I think he was a tad bit jealous of all the “Grammie Camp” hoopla so he decided to start his own “Grandfather’s Secrets” club.
He decided to help instill some important things into the oldest grandchildrens’ minds. Things I personally believe that if any child really internalizes, their lives will be blessed and better because of that knowledge.
What are the Secrets?
These are the the first set of “secrets:”
1) Most kids are waiting for someone to lead them but they just don’t know it yet.
2) Joy is the purpose of life and a choice you make.
3) The Holy Ghost will help you on all your decisions large and small.
I think they are simple yet profound.
So much so that I have personally had experiences with them myself this last year.
My Dad formulated ways for the kids remember the “secrets” over the years. At first he had them email them to him occasionally through the year and he had them each carry around a small, beautifully smooth rock as much as possible to help them remember.
Why These Traditions Create Ripple Effects
I’ve seen it so much already with Lucy. Pretty much every week during family devotional or taking notes in church or just driving around she will refer to those secrets.
Sometimes she’ll write out her testimony of things she believes and those “secrets” as well as Helaman 5:12 (a scripture my mom has had the kids memorize for years) are always forefront and looped into everything she writes.
I LOVE this text she sent the family not too long ago:
How Intentional Grandparenting seeps into Real Life
Even though the reunion and these traditions with my kids’ grandparents can’t last all year long, I love knowing that they have been buoyed up so beautifully. As we hit reality and I sent off my two last at-home children for school bright and early this morning, I’m so glad they, in a sense, took part of my parents with them. Lu all confident with her schedule memorized having walked the school a few times in preparation, and Claire driving with friends and a giant smile on her face after claiming this is the saddest she’s ever been to start a new school year.
It has been an interesting lead-up to this day…Max and Abby were in town, Grace was FaceTiming from China to help Claire get hyped up last night (missing her so much!), someone hit Max and Abby’s car Elle is borrowing up in Utah in a parking lot yesterday, logistics of my mother’s heart sending Lucy to Junior High and her trying to emotionally sort it all out.
Buoyed Up with the Golden Threads of Grandfather’s Secrets and Grammie Camp
The beginning of a school year is tricky any way you look at it. But I love to think that even my grown-up kids head into the big yonder with these “secrets” my Dad has come up with tucked safely into their hearts. And that they know all the good blood that runs through their veins from all the ancestor stories they learned for Grammie Camp.
I love to imagine all those golden threads infiltrated into each of those grandkids in their regular, every-day life. Golden threads attaching them to those grandparents and great grandparents of theirs, as well as to their own grandkids some day.
Yes, there is “molton gold” that will “gleam from the ashes” as my mom has so beautifully taught these kids. And I can almost see the beauty of all those ripple effects.
Thank you, mom and dad, for weaving all that golden-ness into our lives through your intentional grandparenting.
This post was refreshed and updated on June 3, 2025 by Shawni.
XOXO
I love this!!! Would it be ok for me to request a copy of these “grandfather secrets”? Or is there a book or blog post that I can read? I can read some on the rocks and photos you posted, but I’m drooling to get my hands on them all!!
Me too!
Me, too!
I would love it as well. Your family is so chuck full of great and wonderful ideas.
I would love a copy of them as well. Such great information for growing kids.
Sorry I forgot to come back to this. These "secrets" are written up in one of my dad's books called "Being a Proactive Grandfather" which you can find over here: https://amzn.to/2yWOv4i but maybe I can get him to do a guest post on here some time 🙂 They really are so great, I personally think of them all the time myself, I love that if I remember them that much, I love to think about those ideas and concepts running through my kids heads (and hearts) as they maneuver through life.
Are the 2 girls in the dungarees & yellow shirts twins? They certainly look alike.
No they're not twins, different families, but happened to have twinning outfits which is pretty exciting:)
Thank you for answering my question.
yes please! Are they in one of your parent's books?
See above.
xoxo