Dear Readers, In the spirit of National Grandparents Day on September 7th, I want to share a letter that a grandmother wrote to her grandchildren. I am collecting letters between grandparents and grandchildren. If you have a letter you wrote (or wish you had written!) as a grandparent or one that you received as a […]
Author: Dr. Karen Rancourt
Karen L. Rancourt, Ph.D., has over 50 years of varied experience. She began her career an elementary school teacher, went on to become a college professor, management consultant to Fortune 100 companies, career coach, and author of six books and a dozens of articles. Dr. Rancourt has helped thousands of parents, professionals and grandparents make important relationship decisions.
Ask Dr. Gramma Karen: Grandparenting Is a Team Effort
By Guest Columnist Donne Davis Dear Readers, In my absence, as I enjoy vacationing at the Jersey Shore (I have been here long enough to know I should say “at” the Jersey Shore, instead of “on”), it is my pleasure to introduce you to my friend and guest columnist, Donne Davis. Donne Davis and her […]
Ask Dr. Gramma Karen: Not Sure How to Handle a Bullying Situation
Dear Gramma Karen, I am a single mom with one daughter, Blanche, who is 11. She is a great kid! She’s a strong student, a solid athlete, has nice manners, and is well liked by her teachers and peers. The situation: Last week when I went to pick her up at the school playground, I […]
Ask Dr. Gramma Karen: Grandparents Want to Set Some Ground Rules
Good friends of ours, who are also grandparents, are dealing with an issue that is, I fear, all too common. Here is the situation: They are carrying on a long-established tradition of Sunday dinner at their home hosted by them as the grandparents, with lots of extended family members in attendance. Over time, this cherished […]
Ask Dr. Gramma Karen: Grandson Is Not Paying Back Grandfather’s Loan
One of my grandchildren is 26-year-old Joshua. His parents divorced when he was young. He grew up without any financial advantages. He never went to college, but his friends describe him as brilliant and a genius. I describe him as a hustler, an entrepreneurial risk-taker, and a bit of a wise guy. A few years […]
Ask Dr. Gramma Karen: Overprotective Daughter-in-Law Limits Grandparents’ Access
My husband and I are having a problem with our daughter-in-law Valerie. She and our son Don have two children, Robby, who is two, and Kaylee, who is almost four. Although we live near them, we see Robby and Kaylee infrequently, and when we do see them, Valerie gives us a set block of time […]
Readers’ Comments about Father-in-Law’s Questionable Behavior
Many readers responded to my column, “Daughter-in-Law Is Upset with Father-in-Law’s Behavior”, which raised the issue of developing romantic relationships when one’s spouse has severe Alzheimer’s disease. One reader points out the relevance of this issue with these facts: More than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease; it is currently the sixth leading […]
Ask Dr. Gramma Karen: Grandparents Are Not Sure How to Talk about Tragedies
I am happy to say my husband and I spend a lot of time with our four young grandchildren. Here is where we could use some advice: We live in a state in which many children and adults died in a horrific school shooting carried out by a young man. We are looking for guidance […]