Being a grandparent vs. being a parent

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Being a grandparent vs. being a parent

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Grandparents are in a wonderful position. They can love unconditionally. They can also discipline in ways that probably work better than if you're a parent because a child really, I think, wants to give his best to his grandparents. And they are suddenly transformed into really often lovely people whereas the parents find they drive them completely mad. But I think being a grandparent is so much more fun than being a parent, for all the obvious reasons; you can hand them back, which is a good thing. But also you can really enjoy that child part of yourself. And you can fling off all the nonsense and the dentures, well maybe not the dentures, but the confines of being an older person, and get on the floor and play and just celebrate this magical part of ourselves that really never goes away. And give yourself permission to just be real, be whole, be silly with these children. And then give your kids a break because they've got a really tough time being a parent, I think. And then nurture them in that hard, hard job that they're doing, and stop judging.
ALL PARENTS, Family Life

Watch Kathy Eldon's video on Being a grandparent vs. being a parent...

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Kathy Eldon

Parent with a Purpose and Founder & CEO, Creative Visions Foundation

Kathy Eldon was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She graduated from Wellesley College and has since worked as an art teacher, television presenter, magazine editor, journalist, media consultant and a television and film producer in Kenya, England and the United States. She has written seventeen books on a variety of subjects including Angel Catcher, a Journal of Loss and Remembrance; Soul Catcher: a Journal to Help You Become Who You Really Are; and Love Catcher, a Journal to Invite more Love in Your Life, all published by Chronicle Books. The journals were co-authored with her daughter Amy, who is her partner in Creative Visions, a television and film production company.

Kathy was the Executive Producer of the 1999 Emmy nominated Turner Broadcasting two-hour documentary, Dying to tell the Story, about journalists who risk their lives to do their jobs, which was conceived of and presented by Amy Eldon. In l999 Kathy exec-produced a one-hour CNN documentary, Soldiers of Peace: A Children's Crusade, about the Colombian children's peace movement, nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Both films were distributed internationally to over 220 countries. Kathy's company also produced Lost in Africa, a family feature film distributed by Columbia Pictures internationally.

Kathy is currently producing a feature film about her son, artist and Reuters photographer Dan Eldon, who was stoned to death at the age of 22 in Somalia. In May, 2011, Kathy and Amy exec-produced, together with Julia Roberts, "Extraordinary Moms," a tribute to the power of mothers to change the world around them. Hosted by Julia Roberts, the special featured Hillary Clinton, Rosie O'Donnell and Christiane Amanpour.

Kathy edited The Journey is the Destination, a collection of Dan's journal pages which was published by Chronicle Books. Kathy and Amy are co-founders of Creative Visions Foundation, which supports "creative activists" who use media and the arts to create positive change. Over the past 10 years the foundation has incubated more than 80 projects and productions on five continents, touching the lives of more than 10 million people.

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