What Your Grandchildren Really Want to Know
Do you think money is all you have to pass on to your loved ones? Not so. Your grandchildren want to know about your life. Learn what, specifically, Americans want to know about their grandparents.
My grandmother used to teach us crazy songs. I have this memory of sitting in the back of her Subaru with my brother when I was just 7 or 8 years old belting out, “Nobody likes me. Everybody hates me. Guess I'll go eat worms!”
Of course, crazy songs aren't the only thing my grandparents taught me. They taught me a lot about family, the importance of hard work, and all kinds of key life skills. Now that I'm an adult, I'm especially grateful for the influence they had on my life. And I'm not alone.
A full 84% of Americans say it's important to know about their history.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Dr. Karl Pillemer of Cornell University writes, “Research shows that as many as 9 out of 10 adult grandchildren feel their grandparents influenced their values and behaviors. Grandparents transmit to their grandchildren the values and norms of social order.”
What exactly do grandchildren want to know about their grandparents? I'm glad you asked. Here's what a survey conducted by Ancestry.com revealed:
Top 5 Things Americans Want to Know About Their Grandparents:
- Stories of when they were young (72%)
- Childhood memories (62%)
- Where your family came from (62%)
- Their heritage (62%)
- Life advice (51%)
Is Your Legacy Missing This Key Ingredient?
So often when an estate plan is drafted, you sit down with your attorney or financial adviser and focus on the tangibles — your investments, cash, jewelry or other items you plan to pass on. It’s easy to forget just how important the intangibles are.
What makes for a great legacy? A life well-lived, whatever that means to you. When you share your stories and memories with your loved ones, it helps them to navigate their own lives and discover values, principles and traits that enable them to develop deeper meaning. You can do this as a part of your estate plan—such as create a book, video or letter to be passed on to your loved ones when you die — or you can do it now and make it an active part of your life. (For more on that, read A Unique Estate-Planning Idea: How to Write Your Memoir.)
I’m always in favor of sharing as much as you can now because a close, loving family who talks with each other and knows one another’s stories is a family who has created a supportive culture for growth and introspection.
So, the next time you're sitting around the dinner table with your family, share a story about a meaningful experience, some family history or tell about that time when Aunt Lisa told a joke so funny that it cracked up the cop who had just pulled her over and helped her avoid a speeding ticket.
You never know what great conversations will bloom.
And ... if you're really proactive, grab a recorder or hit the video record button on your phone. These memories are treasures your family will love more and more as the years go by.
To continue reading this article
please register for free
This is different from signing in to your print subscription
Why am I seeing this? Find out more here
Laura A. Roser is the founder and CEO of Paragon Road, the leading authority in meaning legacy planning (passing on non-financial assets, such as values, wisdom and beliefs). For more information about legacy planning, visit www.paragonroad.com.
-
Stock Market Today: Nasdaq Soars Ahead of Tesla Earnings
The EV stock rose nearly 2% ahead of its highly anticipated Q1 earnings report, due after tonight's close.
By Karee Venema Published
-
GM Stock Accelerates After Earnings Beat
General Motors beat expectations for the first quarter and raised its outlook for the year. Here's what you need to know.
By Joey Solitro Published
-
Four Tips to Make Your Sales Presentation a Winner
Being prepared and not being boring can go a long way toward persuading a potential customer to buy into what you’re offering.
By H. Dennis Beaver, Esq. Published
-
Pros and Cons of Waiting Until 70 to Claim Social Security
Waiting until 70 to file for Social Security benefits comes with a higher check, but there could be financial consequences to consider for you and your family.
By Patrick M. Simasko, J.D. Published
-
How to Stop Boredom From Ruining Your Happy Retirement
Retirees who explore new interests and have an active social life are more likely to find joy — and even greatness — in the newfound freedom of retirement.
By Richard P. Himmer, PhD Published
-
The Life-or-Death Answers We Owe Our Loved Ones
How our life ends isn’t always up to us, but that question too often must be answered by loved ones and health care workers who don’t know what we would want.
By Joel Theisen, RN Published
-
Is 100 the New 70?
Eating well, exercising, getting plenty of sleep and managing chronic stress can help make you a SuperAger. Funding that long life requires longevity literacy.
By Phil Wright, Certified Fund Specialist Published
-
Nine Lessons to Be Learned From the Hilton Family Trust Contest
Disclaimers, good communication, post-marital agreements and more could help avoid conflict in a family after the owners of a wealthy estate pass away.
By John M. Goralka Published
-
Strategies to Optimize Your Social Security Benefits
To maximize what you can collect, it’s crucial to know when you can file, how delaying filing affects your checks and the income limit if you’re still working.
By Jason “JB” Beckett Published
-
Don’t Forget to Update Beneficiaries After a Gray Divorce
Some states automatically revoke a former spouse as a beneficiary on some accounts. Waivers can be used, too. Best not to leave it up to your state, though.
By Andrew Hatherley, CDFA®, CRPC® Published