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Have you learned these 6 things from your grandparents? Find out before it's too late
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There are some things only your grandparents can teach you. - photo by Jason Reimann
Grandpa might not be with us for much longer. If you want to see him, possibly for the last time, you will want to come now.

Years ago, my mother said this to me with a voice filled with love and melancholy. We all know we won't live forever, but it's hard to remember to take advantage of the lessons only others can teach while they're still here. Each of us will have many teachers in life, but there are some things only grandparents can teach you:

1. Investing in your marriage pays off

My grandfather would often tell me that marrying grandma was the greatest achievement in his life and that every subsequent one was just a result of it.

The day my grandfather passed away, I walked through the doors of the retirement home and found the strongest man Id ever known suddenly gaunt and fragile. Yet with his wife at his side he was still able to lean on her seemingly endless well of strength. Without a sound, he reinforced that lesson he continuously taught about the sacred bond of marriage.

2. God has to be pretty amazing

My grandparents taught me about lineage and God. My grandpa taught how paternity only gets better the further you go back in the genealogical-chain. Within four generations we can see this: sons can be prodigal, you can create both miracles and problems, your father is the firm hand that keeps you in line, but your grandfather is nothing but love, kindness and wisdom. Logically, if you keep going back to the highest patriarch, God would have to be beyond description.

3. Have both strength and meekness

On that fateful day, my grandpa was too frail to get up and almost too weak to extend his hand out for mine. However, when our hands clasped he squeezed with a firmness that defied his current state.

Grandfathers and grandmothers teach us strength. They teach us that if there is something worth doing its always worth doing well. They teach that meekness is just power under complete control and to always avoid causing anyone harm. These are lessons we all need to remember, long after our grandparents are gone.

4. You teach because you love and love because you teach

Here was a man who used to be so strong and would use his strength to love his family. Now, breathing was a difficult task.

Still, with each exhalation he strived to give me as much as he could. Our grandparents show us how much they care by giving us what theyve gleaned over generations. The bond of love between grandparent and grandchild becomes one of the strongest many of us will have in life. If we can listen, they can help us learn valuable lessons.

5. Heed advice

In his bed, he sat and told us with stories wed all heard a hundred times before. Deep down I knew that this was the last time Id hear them which just made them more poignant than ever.

Then suddenly, it was time to go. He had grown tired and my own children were restless. I gave him a hug goodbye. When I withdrew he looked me in the eye and said Youre a good man. The last words I heard my grandfather speak are also the words I must fight to live up to.

6. Loss

This last lesson our grandparents impart is bittersweet; they show us that life is precious. When lived the way they taught us, they benefit us with lessons that will last for generations to come.

Years have passed since my grandfather passed and still I reflect on the impression it left upon me. Our grandfathers and grandmothers should be treasured more than gold while they are still with us. When they are not, we should all strive to pass on their invaluable teachings to our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. By doing this, in a small way, we can repay their lives of hard work and love.
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How to avoid 'sharenting' and other paparazzi parenting habits
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A recent study revealed parents often spend up to two hours staging a single photo of his or her child to post online. - photo by Amy Iverson
Before having kids, some people just dont appreciate their friends baby posts. But after having a child of their own, three fourths of new parents jump right on the parental social media bandwagon. If you have become a member of this group, there are some rules to follow for posting responsibly.

Much of a parents worry is how to teach their children to use social media responsibly. We talk with our kids about privacy, oversharing, and setting restrictions on their devices to keep them safe. But parents themselves need to look in the digital mirror once in a while. Before having children, it doesnt take as much effort to think about what to post online. Its up to us to decide what we share about our own lives. But once you become a parent, there are many questions to think about regarding what is appropriate to post about your kids on social media.

In a recent survey, kids clothing subscription company Mac and Mia surveyed 2000 new parents to find out how they are documenting their kids lives on social media, and what concerns they may have.

First of all, people without children seem to feel a bit differently about the onslaught of baby pictures online than those who are parents. 18 percent of people say before they had kids, they were annoyed by their friends baby posts. But after having children of their own, 73 percent admit they post progress pictures of their little ones every single month.

Not only are new parents letting the world know each time their baby is a month older, but they are posting about their kids every few days or so. Men and women report they post 6-7 times per month about their baby.

And while 70 percent of new parents say the benefit of using social media is how easy it is to help family and friends feel involved, there are some downsides. Here are a few tips to avoid the pitfall of becoming paparazzi parents.

Dont miss the moment

In the Mac and Mia survey, some parents admitted to spending up to two hours to get the perfect shot of their baby. That seems a little extreme. New and old parents alike should be careful about spending so much time taking pictures and videos that they dont enjoy the moment. Years ago, I decided to never live an experience through my phone. A study by Linda Henkel, a psychology professor at Fairfield University in Connecticut, found that when people took pictures of objects in an art museum, they didnt remember the objects as well as if they simply observed them.

This photo-taking impairment effect can happen to parents as well. If we are so consumed by getting the perfect photo, we can miss out on the moment all together, and our memory of it will suffer.

Dont forget about privacy

60 percent of couples say they have discussed rules and boundaries for posting their babys photos, according to the Mac and Mia survey. Even so, men are 34 percent more likely to publish baby posts on public accounts. If parents are concerned about their childrens privacy, keeping photos off of public accounts is a given.

In the Washington Post, Stacey Steinberg, a legal skills professor at the University of Florida, and Bahareh Keith, a Portland pediatrician, wrote that sharing too much information about kids online puts them at risk. They write that all that sharenting can make it easier for data thieves to target out kids for identity theft. Check that your privacy settings are where they should be and never share identifying information like full names and birth dates.

Dont be paparazzi parents

36 percent of parents say they take issue when their childs photo is posted online by someone else. Responsible social media users will always ask permission before posting a photo of another child. But parents should also think about whether their own children will take issue with their own posted photos a few years down the road.

When parents are constantly snapping pictures and throwing them on social media, it can be easy to forget to pause and make sure the post is appropriate. I always use the billboard example with my kids. I ask them to picture whatever they are posting going up on a billboard in our neighborhood. If they are okay with that, then their post is probably fine. Parents should ask themselves this same question when posting about their children. But they should also ask themselves if their child would be OK with this post on a billboard in 15 years. If it would cause embarrassment or humiliation, it might be best to keep it private.

Once children reach an appropriate age, parents should include them in the process of deciding what pictures are OK to post. Researchers at the University of Michigan surveyed 10- to 17-year-olds and found children believe their parents should ask permission more than parents think they should. The kids in the survey said sharing happy family moments, or accomplishments in sports, school and hobbies is fine. But when the post is negative (like when a child is disciplined) or embarrassing (think naked baby pictures or messy hair), kids say to keep it off social media.
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