The Grandmother Principles [Paperback]

Suzette Haden Elgin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2000

The new grandmothers in our society are rarely elderly ladies who have acquired a lifetime of experience and are ready to pass their knowledge on to the next generation. Indeed, basic grandmothering skills are rapidly disappearing, so author Suzette Haden Elgin -- an experienced grandmother of ten -- has written this comforting, down-to-earth, compellingly readable book to insure a constant supply of competent, emotionally fulfilled grandmothers.

Guided by the Grandmother Principles -- commonsense aphorisms ranging from "A grandmother is a safe haven" to "A grandmother is not a quarterback", she covers all aspects of grandmothering -- from ways of communicating successfully with children and grandchildren to coping with emergencies to recording one's family history. Whether you're a traditional granny whose grandchildren live down the block or an ultramodern grandmother who sees the grandkids once a year, The Grandmother Principles is so inspiring and filled with so much indispensable information and advice that you'll want to keep it close at hand at all times. Illustrated with delightful cartoons that underscore the joys and challenges of grandmotherhood, it makes the perfect gift for grandmothers to receive from their children and grandchildren or to give to themselves.

Product Details

• Paperback: 220 pages
• Publisher: Abbeville Press (April 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789205858
• ISBN-13: 978-0789205858
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,354,824 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A most practical,endearing, & enduring book!, January 1, 1999

By 

Sandra Gordon (Mountain View, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Grandmother Principles (Hardcover)

"Grandmother Principles," presents practical, useful, and easy-to-apply suggestions for making the Grandmother experience a VERY good one. Without taking herself too seriously (cartoons run rampant through the book), Suzette Haden Elgin, Ph.D.(in Linguistics) tells in comforting detail how to be a Grandmother who is welcomed in any family. Grandmother as reliable (not overbearing) source, as clear communicator, as kinship connection - these ideas and more, author Elgin presents with warmth - and the understanding experience that having ten grandchildren herself has provided. MUST reading for Grandmothers & Grandmothers to be. A great gift idea also for parents of young children to give to their own parents. This book is a a what-to-do, what-not-to-do Godsend! -Sandy Gordon

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Practical, Fun and Motivational, November 21, 2005

By 

Susan W. Edwards (Southern Pines, NC United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Grandmother Principles (Paperback)

As a person who felt like they could have done a better job of intentional parenting, but for whom that time is past; the idea of being more conscious of how we relate toward grown children and grandchildren was very interesting. Ms. Elgin's ideas are always practical and realistic, and often very creative. I especially liked her suggested solution for a policy regarding loaning money to grown children and grandchildren.

She was clear and emphatic in expressing how a grandmother's contributions can create a core for a family that greatly aids stability and cohesiveness. She suggests things that can be very meaningful over an extended period, and then explains why those things are effective and meaningful. The why's of her book struck home for me, and the things I have shared with other people have been received with positive interest.

I highly recommend the book, and agree with her assertion that grandmothers can provide a badly needed haven for family members in a world that can be overwhelming, often confusing and sometimes actively cruel. I also appreciate that many of her ideas are about how to make life easier and more rewarding for yourself and those you spend time with. She even covers thoroughly how these things apply to long-distance grandmothers who have to do most of their grandmothering over the telephone or through the mail.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a practical, useful book for grandmothers., August 29, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Grandmother Principles (Hardcover)

THE GRANDMOTHER PRINCIPLES not only explains the ancient art of grandmothering but also gives very detailed techniques that can be used by a grandmother to enhance her relationship with her grandchildren. It is full of very good, very useful ideas.