Philosopher Grandma
@philosophergrandma.bsky.social
Caring for grandchildren, thoughtfully. Blogging at philosophergrandma.blog
Inspired by Hands Off? Here are some ideas for protecting your grandkids’ future long
term!
term!
You marched—now what?
A lot of grandparents were at “Hands Off” protests last Saturday. Many, like me, were out there to protect freedoms for our grandchildren, and everyone’s grandchildren. It was heartening to see the pe...
www.philosophergrandma.blog
April 7, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Inspired by Hands Off? Here are some ideas for protecting your grandkids’ future long
term!
term!
Is your family a cult? If you suspect it might be, even a little bit, check out some signs—and what you might do to head in a new direction.
When is a family like a cult?
What’s the difference between a family and a cult? Sometimes not much. If the definition of “family” includes chosen (non-blood-related) families, the main difference is that some families allow membe...
www.philosophergrandma.blog
March 31, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Is your family a cult? If you suspect it might be, even a little bit, check out some signs—and what you might do to head in a new direction.
Reposted by Philosopher Grandma
Do you feel this way too?
From a GRAND reader.
Please send us your story to editor@grandmagazine.com
From a GRAND reader.
Please send us your story to editor@grandmagazine.com
My Grandkid Is Way Smarter Than Me At That Age!
My grandkid Is Way Smarter Than Me At That Age! BY: S. MORRIS Remember how they have always told us we’re only using
www.grandmagazine.com
March 26, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Do you feel this way too?
From a GRAND reader.
Please send us your story to editor@grandmagazine.com
From a GRAND reader.
Please send us your story to editor@grandmagazine.com
The trick to joyous one-on-one time with a grandchild or child is finding what clicks with the kid. Here are some tips for your search!
Making 'special time' for your grandchild
I’ve been spending one Saturday a month at Mia (aka the Minneapolis Institute of Arts) with a grandson. Mia offers an amazing free opportunity called “Art Play!,” at which staff sets out supplies for ...
www.philosophergrandma.blog
March 24, 2025 at 3:42 PM
The trick to joyous one-on-one time with a grandchild or child is finding what clicks with the kid. Here are some tips for your search!
Labeling means sorting people into groups (eg, “blonds”), and then picking out group members to benefit them (sell them shampoo) or harm them (stereotype them). There’s urgency about labeling in the US, given targeting of certain groups (trans, immigrant, etc). And it matters in families, too!
Who is your grandchild? Handling labels with care
I am a grandmother. And a parent, daughter, and sibling. And a philosopher, writer, and editor. And a singer, and a Christian. Each of these terms says something right about who I am. But each term al...
www.philosophergrandma.blog
March 22, 2025 at 7:34 PM
Labeling means sorting people into groups (eg, “blonds”), and then picking out group members to benefit them (sell them shampoo) or harm them (stereotype them). There’s urgency about labeling in the US, given targeting of certain groups (trans, immigrant, etc). And it matters in families, too!
Want to see some magic as your grandkids light up with excitement about nature? Follow the lead of Nancy Krebs, naturalist and educator with parks at national, state, and regional levels. She has graciously shared strategies that all of us can use as we get outdoors with the grandkids.
Inspiring love of nature: Outdoors with the grandchildren
Caring for grandchildren, thoughtfully
www.philosophergrandma.blog
March 14, 2025 at 7:47 PM
Want to see some magic as your grandkids light up with excitement about nature? Follow the lead of Nancy Krebs, naturalist and educator with parks at national, state, and regional levels. She has graciously shared strategies that all of us can use as we get outdoors with the grandkids.
Gotta keep caring—and doing!—for ourselves and the grandchildren.
What's the point? Caring in tough times
Writing has been a struggle for some weeks now. The speed and weight of the US’ moral and political decline has made all my words seem trivial or irrelevant, especially given the (current?) impotence ...
www.philosophergrandma.blog
March 8, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Gotta keep caring—and doing!—for ourselves and the grandchildren.
Long-distance grandparenting is sometimes challenging. Gratitude to good friends who navigate it with wisdom!
Long-distance grandparenting: Grief and gratitude
Caring for grandchildren, thoughtfully
www.philosophergrandma.blog
February 7, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Long-distance grandparenting is sometimes challenging. Gratitude to good friends who navigate it with wisdom!
Reposted by Philosopher Grandma
Great Gray owls spotted in Two Harbors ✨
February 4, 2025 at 2:00 AM
Great Gray owls spotted in Two Harbors ✨
Kids get it about fair rules—I wish the class I taught this week could school grownups in a thing or two!
Children's philosophy of rules
In one of those “remember to always say yes” moments, I taught Philosophy for Children (P4C) this week—and was so glad for the chance! Our topic was rules: What makes a rule fair or not? Should you al...
www.philosophergrandma.blog
January 31, 2025 at 7:34 PM
Kids get it about fair rules—I wish the class I taught this week could school grownups in a thing or two!
Philosophy topic for the 3rd graders I taught today: Rules. What makes rules fair or not, and when to follow them and when not. It was great to see and hear the kids **thinking for themselves** on this timely topic. And great to see a classroom full of kids think doing philosophy is fun!
Philosophy for children—and their grandparents
Caring for grandchildren, thoughtfully
www.philosophergrandma.blog
January 29, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Philosophy topic for the 3rd graders I taught today: Rules. What makes rules fair or not, and when to follow them and when not. It was great to see and hear the kids **thinking for themselves** on this timely topic. And great to see a classroom full of kids think doing philosophy is fun!
Thinking today about people going through IVF—it’s great that IVF is an option (!), but it’s physically and emotionally grueling in ways the media typically skips over. Join me in giving those folks a thought, and maybe a hug?
January 27, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Thinking today about people going through IVF—it’s great that IVF is an option (!), but it’s physically and emotionally grueling in ways the media typically skips over. Join me in giving those folks a thought, and maybe a hug?
Making silly fun is one of the great things about being a grandparent! And you have a stash of old buttons, right?
Fun with buttons, tots thru teens
In my sewing supplies drawer I have a box of buttons that dates back decades. Most of the stash belonged to my mother-in-law, who died in 2000. Maybe you have a box of vintage buttons, too—if so, you’...
www.philosophergrandma.blog
January 26, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Making silly fun is one of the great things about being a grandparent! And you have a stash of old buttons, right?
Here I am talking again! But boy some listening is needed in our loud culture. Your children or grandchildren (among others!) will appreciate having your ear.
Are you listening to your grandchildren?
Readers, be forewarned: The musings that follow represent my study and intentions, not my expertise. In a trendy phrase, “Progress, not perfection!”
I took a course last fall to prepare to serve as a...
www.philosophergrandma.blog
January 24, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Here I am talking again! But boy some listening is needed in our loud culture. Your children or grandchildren (among others!) will appreciate having your ear.
A warm-up question I used to teach in teaching Philosophy for Children to 3rd graders today: “What’s the greatest super power?” The kids had lots of fun answers—including, of course, having all of the super powers. But my favorite answer was “to be able to heal people.”
January 22, 2025 at 6:18 PM
A warm-up question I used to teach in teaching Philosophy for Children to 3rd graders today: “What’s the greatest super power?” The kids had lots of fun answers—including, of course, having all of the super powers. But my favorite answer was “to be able to heal people.”
Mercy for children (among others!) Thank you, Mariann Edgar Budde!
Bishop confronts Trump during sermon at inaugural prayer service
At a sermon preached to President Trump at Washington National Cathedral, Bishop Mariann Budde asked him to "have mercy" on people who are "scared," including LGBTQ children.
www.npr.org
January 22, 2025 at 2:31 AM
Mercy for children (among others!) Thank you, Mariann Edgar Budde!
There are lots of ways to bring love into the world. My way today was taking care of our grandchildren. Other days aren’t so easy—but always so needed!
January 21, 2025 at 1:05 AM
There are lots of ways to bring love into the world. My way today was taking care of our grandchildren. Other days aren’t so easy—but always so needed!
Should the grandkids show contempt towards others? How about turning contempt on themselves?
Is contempt OK? What to tell the grandchildren
I just read—and recommend!—philosopher Krista Thomason’s new book, Dancing with the Devil: Why Bad Feelings Make Life Good. Thomason entertainingly argues that “negative emotions” like anger, envy, an...
www.philosophergrandma.blog
January 19, 2025 at 8:36 PM
Should the grandkids show contempt towards others? How about turning contempt on themselves?