Jerry Witovsky - Where Two Worlds Meet: A Guide to Connecting with Your Teenage Grandchildren

Where Two Worlds Meet: A Guide to Connecting With Your Teenage Grandchildren

2022 by Jerry Witkovsky and Deanna Shoss. All rights reserved

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

This book is a compilation of the years of experience and writing of the authors on this subject. Some of the content of this book has been previously published by the authors, either in previous books or in articles they have written. This content has been marked with a footnote.

Originally edited by Beth Lieberman and Vivien Orbach-Smith

Published in the United States by WriteLife Publishing

(an imprint of Boutique of Quality Books Publishing Company, Inc.)

www.writelife.com

978-1-60808-272-8 (p)

978-1-60808-273-5 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2022937330

Book Design by Robin Krauss, www.bookformatters.com

Cover Design by Rebecca Lown, www.rebeccalowndesign.com

First editor: Andrea Vande Vorde

Second editor: Allison Itterly

This wonderful book, Where Two Worlds Meet: A Guide to Connecting with Your Teenage Grandchildren, is full of real world tools to help the two generations find common ground. From letters, to organized meetings, to determining a family legacy, these methods are sure to bring eager grandparents and busy older grandchildren together around important common goals. I recommend it to all grandparents!

Elizabeth LaBan, author of Beside Herself; Not Perfect; The Restaurant Critics Wife; The Tragedy Paper; The Grandparents Handbook; and co-author of Pretty Little World

In Where Two Worlds Meet, Witkovsky and Shoss have created a must-have manual for grandparents seeking intentional, impactful connections with grandchildren progressing from preteen into adulthoodthat tough period when kids naturally pull away. Sage advice, actionable items, journaling prompts, and stories from grandparents and grandchildren reflecting on their bond provide a practical guide for all grandparents, whether long-distance, local, or sharing a multigenerational household.

Lisa Carpenter, founder of GrandmasBriefs.com and author of The First-Time Grandmothers Journal

Where Two Worlds Meet: A Guide to Connecting with Your Grandchildren is a book built on passion, real-life experience, hope, and the power of love. Witkovsky and his associate Shoss, share Witkovskys life-long commitment to strengthening and celebrating the bonds that make families grow while maximizing the potential and individuality of each of the family members.

Bruce Mondschain, Catalyst Associates

Where Two Worlds Meet is a Must-Have Book! The authors provide such creative and innovative ways to connect with grandchildren and as a grandparent and former school principal I highly recommend this book.

Debbie Saviano, Social Media Strategist, and Speaker

If you are looking for valuable patterns for enhancing relationships between grandparents and teenage grandchildrenand for experiences, ideas, and stories galore, particularly about creating three-generational values and preserving cultural values, this book should be on your list.

Linda and Richard Eyre, New York Times #1 Bestselling Authors whose most recent books are Grandmothering and Being a Proactive Grandfather

I dedicate this book to the memory of my wife, Margaret, my partner for fifty-two years; To my daughter, Ellen, and her husband, Don; my son, Michael, and his wife, Julie; and to the people who are my world and whose world I never want to leave: my grandchildren and their growing familiesAidan, Merete, Benny and his wife, Corina; Kathryn and her husband, Lance; Ethan and his wife, Erin: parents of my great-grandchildren, Aldo and Sage Margaret; Jessica and her husband, Travis.

Jerry Witkovsky

Banana cake and noodle kugel, fierce independence, and an entrepreneurial spirit are some of the gifts from my long and wonderful relationships with all four of my grandparents: Lydia, Lou, Ethel, and James. This book is dedicated to them and to my parents, Sammy and Bill, and to Vov Antonia for being such phenomenal and involved grandparents. Im grateful for my husband, Eugnio; our son, Lucca (the teenager!); and my sisters Brenda and Cara, for her support as this book evolved. And this book is dedicated to Jerry Witkovsky, who inspires me every day with his creativity, commitment, and passion for grandparenting. He teaches us that, like a rocket, life is an upward trajectory. You never stop learning, creating, and contributing.

Deanna Shoss

If you look deeply into the palm of your hand, you will see your parents and all generations of your ancestors. All of them are alive in this moment. Each is present in your body. You are the continuation of each of these people.

Thich Nhat Hanh

W hen grandchildren are young, a sweet treat, a new toy, or a visit to the museum is enough to inspire their unconditional adoration. Then your grandchildren grow up. Suddenly they are teenagers and its not so easy.

Where Two Worlds Meet starts with the teenage years, a time when your grandchildren are discovering who they want to be as independent beings in the world. This book is about how to understand what life looks like through your grandchilds eyes, and how to invite your grandchildren to experience what life is like for you.

Sure, you live on the same planet, perhaps the same country, or even the same house, but you sense a distance growing between you and your grandchildren. There are so many reasons for this. It is developmentally on-target for teens to pull away from those they love, as their brains undergo massive change starting around age twelve. While that may be a solid, science-based explanation, it sure doesnt make it any easier as your teenage grandchildren turn away from you and toward their peers for trusted answers to everything. They are more involved in school activities, and academics are more demanding. You, too, may also be adapting to a new stage of life. As you near retirement and plan for whats next, you have a wonderful opportunity to travel and visit family, pursue hobbies, or take classes. You are also adjusting to all the body and energy changes that come with aging.