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Camp Grandma: Next-Generation Grandparenting—Beyond Babysitting
Warm cookies and milk are still okay, but what if they came with a workshop on goal setting or writing a business plan for the school year? Camp Grandma is full of innovative ideas that Marianne Waggoner Day, a highly successful businesswoman who became a committed and dedicated grandmother, modified from her working life in an effort to connect with her grandchildren. Along the way, she realized that in teaching her grandchildren, she in turn was learning some unexpected and invaluable lessons from them.
Here, Day offers a new and refreshing perspective on grandparenting. Readers will be introduced to a compelling, sometimes humorous, and totally unexpected twist on a role people often take for granted―as well as enter into the larger societal conversation we should be having about the possibilities and value of grandparenting and how the women’s movement has reinvigorated and reshaped women’s approach to being grandmothers.
Full of ideas and creative ways for grandparents to help their grandchildren grow strong, think critically, and have fun all at the same time, Camp Grandma reveals the importance of grandparenting and the value of passing on traditions, knowledge, and wisdom to the new generation. Babysitter? Not even close.
Here, Day offers a new and refreshing perspective on grandparenting. Readers will be introduced to a compelling, sometimes humorous, and totally unexpected twist on a role people often take for granted―as well as enter into the larger societal conversation we should be having about the possibilities and value of grandparenting and how the women’s movement has reinvigorated and reshaped women’s approach to being grandmothers.
Full of ideas and creative ways for grandparents to help their grandchildren grow strong, think critically, and have fun all at the same time, Camp Grandma reveals the importance of grandparenting and the value of passing on traditions, knowledge, and wisdom to the new generation. Babysitter? Not even close.
- GenresNonfictionParenting
256 pages, Paperback
Published May 7, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
May 21, 2019
Happy pub day to CAMP GRANDMA!
Illuminating, inspiring & delightful!
CAMP GRANDMA by MARIANNE WAGGONER DAY was such a pleasure to read. A real gem! It’s a quick and easy one that is packed full of valuable information and some fabulous ideas. Not only useful for grandparents but for all mothers and fathers out there as well as any caregiver for that matter.
My granddaughter is a little too young to incorporate some of the information that was provided within this book but it did give me the knowledge to store and look back on for future use. I love that this book gave me so much insight and tools to use in order for me to be an active participant in my granddaughter’s life. And hopefully instill some valuable lessons, memorable moments and helpful techniques that will be useful to her in the future.
I can hardly wait to put some of this information and ideas to good use. I am one proud Grandma and this book just makes me want to be the best possible Grandma ever!! I got all those warm fuzzy feelings while I was reading this book. Love that!!
This book definitely resonated with me as a mother and grandmother. And I also thoroughly enjoyed the stories and pictures that were shared by Marianne with and of her own grandchildren. It definitely added in an extra personal touch that I totally ate right up. Would definitely recommend!!
Thank you so much to BookSparks for the opportunity to read this engaging and enlightening book. I feel so grateful for being chosen to read an early copy of this book and I thoroughly enjoyed the reading experience.
Review can also be found on our blog:
https://twosisterslostinacoulee.com/
Illuminating, inspiring & delightful!
CAMP GRANDMA by MARIANNE WAGGONER DAY was such a pleasure to read. A real gem! It’s a quick and easy one that is packed full of valuable information and some fabulous ideas. Not only useful for grandparents but for all mothers and fathers out there as well as any caregiver for that matter.
My granddaughter is a little too young to incorporate some of the information that was provided within this book but it did give me the knowledge to store and look back on for future use. I love that this book gave me so much insight and tools to use in order for me to be an active participant in my granddaughter’s life. And hopefully instill some valuable lessons, memorable moments and helpful techniques that will be useful to her in the future.
I can hardly wait to put some of this information and ideas to good use. I am one proud Grandma and this book just makes me want to be the best possible Grandma ever!! I got all those warm fuzzy feelings while I was reading this book. Love that!!
This book definitely resonated with me as a mother and grandmother. And I also thoroughly enjoyed the stories and pictures that were shared by Marianne with and of her own grandchildren. It definitely added in an extra personal touch that I totally ate right up. Would definitely recommend!!
Thank you so much to BookSparks for the opportunity to read this engaging and enlightening book. I feel so grateful for being chosen to read an early copy of this book and I thoroughly enjoyed the reading experience.
Review can also be found on our blog:
https://twosisterslostinacoulee.com/
January 18, 2024
This book had some good advice, but ya gotta comb through it. What works for one kid, won’t work for another. As a grandma who has taken care of them 5 days a week for most of their lives, I can tell you that it is the greatest gift. That time cannot be replaced. But, you can’t set out an all over goal for all of them. That’s what school does. That’s not what granny does. We give them unconditional love and let them explore their world how they want. If one wants to learn to cook and another wants to gather pinecones for a craft, that’s what we are there for. Every kid is different. Let’s celebrate their differences with them.
May 21, 2019
Camp Grandma is a wonderful book about how a successful woman took bits and pieces of what she has learned in the business world and slowly brought them into the role as grandma. I loved that she says grandmas are not just babysitters they are so much more and she refuses to use the term babysitter. They are caretakers, role models, teachers wonderful storytellers! When I first received this book I was wondering how I could relate to it since I’m the mother of a seven year old. I took so much away from this book! I learned skills and activities and I also loved that me as a parent that I’m not the only one learning as we go but so are grandmothers and how they fit into the growing family. I’m so sad that my own grandmother has passed about six years ago I miss just siting and talking to her she raised me since my own mother did not want that responsibility and my grandmother was my fathers mother, so reading this brought so many emotions up. This has shown me that my own mother in law is also learning and she’s so much more than a babysitter she’s a caretaker! Thank you for such an amazing eye opening heart tugging book!
May 13, 2019
I received an ARC of #CampGrandma from @booksparks as part of my first Pop-Up Book Tour, and I was so excited for the opportunity to both read and review this inspiring book.
Camp Grandma is all about how Day – a successful businesswoman – took aspects of her career and successfully interwove them with her role as a grandmother. From the outset, Day establishes that while grandparenting sometimes involves babysitting, she “resist[s] the term (babysitter) because it doesn’t begin to describe what grandparents are to our grandchildren … Consider instead that along with being caretakers, we are role models, teachers, historians, storytellers, confidants, mentors, and most importantly, trusted examples of how to love and be loved.”
The mother of a 5-year-old and 2-year-old, I wasn’t sure just how much I’d get out of this book since I’m not yet a grandmother, but I am thrilled to say that by the end of just the first couple of chapters, I had already learned so much. Not only was I gleaning information about activities and skills I could work on with my kids, but Day also helped me realize something I had never considered before: When a new baby is born, parents aren’t the only ones who go through growing pains as they adjust to their new roles; grandparents do too. Evolving from parent and primary caretaker to more of a supporting role, grandparents have to learn how they fit into this new family, and Day does a beautiful job of explaining that concept.
I’m so lucky to still have my maternal grandmother with me, as well as vivid memories of my time with my paternal grandma. From coloring and putting puzzles together with my Grandma Harbour as a little girl, to playing cards, taking vacations, and shadowing my Grandma Mary Jane at her job on the Illinois House floor, I have learned so much from my grandmas, and Camp Grandma is a wonderful reminder about how critical and important the role of a grandparent is in a child’s life. Whether playing together, going to the zoo, watching a movie, baking, learning a new game, having lunch together, or passing down stories from older generations, grandparents are treasure troves of love and wisdom, and Day reminded me that I need to do a better job of creating more opportunities for my children to bond and connect with their grandparents more often.
I highly recommend Camp Grandma, and whether you’re a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, godparent, or hope to be on day, this is a book you’ll benefit from reading. Thank you so much to @booksparks for the opportunity to read and review this book in exchange for an honest opinion.
Camp Grandma is all about how Day – a successful businesswoman – took aspects of her career and successfully interwove them with her role as a grandmother. From the outset, Day establishes that while grandparenting sometimes involves babysitting, she “resist[s] the term (babysitter) because it doesn’t begin to describe what grandparents are to our grandchildren … Consider instead that along with being caretakers, we are role models, teachers, historians, storytellers, confidants, mentors, and most importantly, trusted examples of how to love and be loved.”
The mother of a 5-year-old and 2-year-old, I wasn’t sure just how much I’d get out of this book since I’m not yet a grandmother, but I am thrilled to say that by the end of just the first couple of chapters, I had already learned so much. Not only was I gleaning information about activities and skills I could work on with my kids, but Day also helped me realize something I had never considered before: When a new baby is born, parents aren’t the only ones who go through growing pains as they adjust to their new roles; grandparents do too. Evolving from parent and primary caretaker to more of a supporting role, grandparents have to learn how they fit into this new family, and Day does a beautiful job of explaining that concept.
I’m so lucky to still have my maternal grandmother with me, as well as vivid memories of my time with my paternal grandma. From coloring and putting puzzles together with my Grandma Harbour as a little girl, to playing cards, taking vacations, and shadowing my Grandma Mary Jane at her job on the Illinois House floor, I have learned so much from my grandmas, and Camp Grandma is a wonderful reminder about how critical and important the role of a grandparent is in a child’s life. Whether playing together, going to the zoo, watching a movie, baking, learning a new game, having lunch together, or passing down stories from older generations, grandparents are treasure troves of love and wisdom, and Day reminded me that I need to do a better job of creating more opportunities for my children to bond and connect with their grandparents more often.
I highly recommend Camp Grandma, and whether you’re a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, godparent, or hope to be on day, this is a book you’ll benefit from reading. Thank you so much to @booksparks for the opportunity to read and review this book in exchange for an honest opinion.
May 6, 2019
I received an ARC of Camp Grandma from BookSparks as part of my very first Pop Up Book Tour with them and I'm super excited to share my thoughts on this amazing book!
Although I'm far from being a grandmother, (my youngest being 1), this is a great book for everyone to read. Mothers, aunts, teachers can all benefit from something in this book. Seriously, it's AMAZING!
We often think of a grandparent as a "babysitter" but the author suggest the role of a grandparent goes way beyond that. They are in fact role models, teachers, historians, story tellers, confidants, mentors, as well as example of how to love and be love. Isn't it great? With all the goal settings and activities described in the book, Grandparents can have an influence on helping their grandchildren become the adults they want to become.
My kids have great relationships with both their grandmothers and I have to agree with the author that multigenerational distance can give grandparents a different and valuable perspective to the one from parents. They come back from a day with their grandmothers and they are proud to tell us everything they did together and learned. To me, that's priceless.
When I first received the book and skimmed through, I thought it went a bit overboard with some of the activities. I mean, make a resumé with a five year old? BUT, upon reading, I thought it was actually genious! Kids thrive on structure and Camp Grandma is built in a way that helps the author's grandchildren learn skills that will serve them later in life. She helps them set goals and agendas as well as talk about their expectations.
Overall, Camp Grandma is a fabulous read a truly enjoyed and I will be sharing it with others.
Although I'm far from being a grandmother, (my youngest being 1), this is a great book for everyone to read. Mothers, aunts, teachers can all benefit from something in this book. Seriously, it's AMAZING!
We often think of a grandparent as a "babysitter" but the author suggest the role of a grandparent goes way beyond that. They are in fact role models, teachers, historians, story tellers, confidants, mentors, as well as example of how to love and be love. Isn't it great? With all the goal settings and activities described in the book, Grandparents can have an influence on helping their grandchildren become the adults they want to become.
My kids have great relationships with both their grandmothers and I have to agree with the author that multigenerational distance can give grandparents a different and valuable perspective to the one from parents. They come back from a day with their grandmothers and they are proud to tell us everything they did together and learned. To me, that's priceless.
When I first received the book and skimmed through, I thought it went a bit overboard with some of the activities. I mean, make a resumé with a five year old? BUT, upon reading, I thought it was actually genious! Kids thrive on structure and Camp Grandma is built in a way that helps the author's grandchildren learn skills that will serve them later in life. She helps them set goals and agendas as well as talk about their expectations.
Overall, Camp Grandma is a fabulous read a truly enjoyed and I will be sharing it with others.
May 22, 2019
First of all I would like to thank @booksparks and Marianne Waggoner Day for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I absolutely loved this book and it had way more to offer than what I expected. As a parent to three littles ranging in ages from 2-10, I thought this book would solely be geared towards grandparents and I would be able to pass on some useful suggestions. I was so wrong and learned so much from this book. As parents, we want to prepare our children as much as possible for adulthood and this book contains suggestions that both parents and grandparents can utilize. Day takes the role of being a Grandparent and gives you a way to use it to your family's advantage. I think she hit the nail on the head when she mentioned Grandparents are undervalued in our society. We should look at them as mentors instead of babysitters and have them be active participants in our children's lives. Together as a team, both parents and grandparents, we can help prepare our youth for their futures. We can help the next generation be more confident and successful in their endeavors.
Here are a few of my favorite talking points/activities (you'll have to get the book to read about all my other favorites):
1. I loved having a child come up with a resume and updating it yearly. I know so many adults that struggle with this task and it's so important for career advancement.
2. I also loved how the book focused on both public speaking and LISTENING. I think so often being a good listener is overlooked and it's such a great quality to instill in our youth.
3. Ancestry is such an important asset grandparents can bring to the table. They know about family members and past events that parents may not know well.
I highly recommend this book and it will be a go to gift for new parents/grandparents.
I absolutely loved this book and it had way more to offer than what I expected. As a parent to three littles ranging in ages from 2-10, I thought this book would solely be geared towards grandparents and I would be able to pass on some useful suggestions. I was so wrong and learned so much from this book. As parents, we want to prepare our children as much as possible for adulthood and this book contains suggestions that both parents and grandparents can utilize. Day takes the role of being a Grandparent and gives you a way to use it to your family's advantage. I think she hit the nail on the head when she mentioned Grandparents are undervalued in our society. We should look at them as mentors instead of babysitters and have them be active participants in our children's lives. Together as a team, both parents and grandparents, we can help prepare our youth for their futures. We can help the next generation be more confident and successful in their endeavors.
Here are a few of my favorite talking points/activities (you'll have to get the book to read about all my other favorites):
1. I loved having a child come up with a resume and updating it yearly. I know so many adults that struggle with this task and it's so important for career advancement.
2. I also loved how the book focused on both public speaking and LISTENING. I think so often being a good listener is overlooked and it's such a great quality to instill in our youth.
3. Ancestry is such an important asset grandparents can bring to the table. They know about family members and past events that parents may not know well.
I highly recommend this book and it will be a go to gift for new parents/grandparents.
May 7, 2019
I received an ARC of Camp Grandma from BookSparks as part of my very first Pop Up Book Tour! I'm beyond excited I was chosen to receive and review a copy of Camp Grandma.
Camp Grandma is about how a successful businesswoman merged her working career with her role as a grandmother - Grandma's First Rule please don't call me a babysitter.
So I am at least a couple of decades away from being a grandmother as I am very much still in the early stages of being a mother. I feel no matter if you are a parent, aunt, uncle, even a child care worker you can benefit from reading Camp Grandma.
Camp Grandma is an important reminder about how the roles of a grandparent play in the lives of our children. From character building to passing down stories of family members who are no longer with us. It's a proven study that grandparents who have an active role in their grandchildren's life live longer! I have many amazing memories from when I was younger reading on my great-grandfathers lap learning how to plant and water flowers with my great-grandmothers and finding love and passion for baking in the kitchen with my grandmother.
My son is very lucky to have all of his grandparents play an active role in his life. So Camp Grandma will be shared with many amazing grandparents in my son's life. I highly recommend every parent read Camp Grandma and pass it along to the grandparents in your child's life it will be very eye-opening for everyone. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Camp Grandma is about how a successful businesswoman merged her working career with her role as a grandmother - Grandma's First Rule please don't call me a babysitter.
So I am at least a couple of decades away from being a grandmother as I am very much still in the early stages of being a mother. I feel no matter if you are a parent, aunt, uncle, even a child care worker you can benefit from reading Camp Grandma.
Camp Grandma is an important reminder about how the roles of a grandparent play in the lives of our children. From character building to passing down stories of family members who are no longer with us. It's a proven study that grandparents who have an active role in their grandchildren's life live longer! I have many amazing memories from when I was younger reading on my great-grandfathers lap learning how to plant and water flowers with my great-grandmothers and finding love and passion for baking in the kitchen with my grandmother.
My son is very lucky to have all of his grandparents play an active role in his life. So Camp Grandma will be shared with many amazing grandparents in my son's life. I highly recommend every parent read Camp Grandma and pass it along to the grandparents in your child's life it will be very eye-opening for everyone. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
June 9, 2019
#CampGrandma definitely gave me ALL the feels!
Though the title says Grandma, this is a book that everybody needs to read! I am a mother of two teenagers, seventeen & thirteen. I am also a childcare provider for two almost two year olds. So much in this book resonated with me! There is something in this book for everyone. Seriously!
Camp Grandma is packed full of helpful tips and suggestions! My favorite chapter (chapter Six) being about listening and truly paying attention to what's being said, the tone, body language and nonverbal cues. This rang true for me, I sometimes find myself responding to a conversation but not exactly listening. Something I am aware of and definitely need to work on!
I really enjoyed the fact that so much of Marianne's own history is shared throughout her book and that she shared so much of this with her grandchildren. The pictures were also a nice addition to the book.
Overall Camp Grandma is a fabulous read that I very much enjoyed. I look forward to sharing my copy with others in hopes that much of what is written will also be enjoyed by them.
A HUGE thank you to Book Sparks for allowing me to be a part of this very educational Pop Up Book Tour! Camp Grandma hits shelves on May 7th!
Though the title says Grandma, this is a book that everybody needs to read! I am a mother of two teenagers, seventeen & thirteen. I am also a childcare provider for two almost two year olds. So much in this book resonated with me! There is something in this book for everyone. Seriously!
Camp Grandma is packed full of helpful tips and suggestions! My favorite chapter (chapter Six) being about listening and truly paying attention to what's being said, the tone, body language and nonverbal cues. This rang true for me, I sometimes find myself responding to a conversation but not exactly listening. Something I am aware of and definitely need to work on!
I really enjoyed the fact that so much of Marianne's own history is shared throughout her book and that she shared so much of this with her grandchildren. The pictures were also a nice addition to the book.
Overall Camp Grandma is a fabulous read that I very much enjoyed. I look forward to sharing my copy with others in hopes that much of what is written will also be enjoyed by them.
A HUGE thank you to Book Sparks for allowing me to be a part of this very educational Pop Up Book Tour! Camp Grandma hits shelves on May 7th!
April 13, 2021
To the high points first! I teared up at times, finding my own thoughts coming through but not having been able to express them myself--mainly about the tremendous joy about being able to give and get unconditional love while creating care (yes, it is NOT mere babysitting unless you choose that) for your grandchild that is meaningful, rich, reciprocal.
Grandmother is the first job I have not felt "imposter syndrome" for, and I say "job" since I have offered to be regular childcare most days of the week for the last nine month due to the pandemic. This was not my plan for myself, after 35 years at a profession, nor my daughter's for her child. But I have created a Grandma Camp of my own. And yet I still wince a bit at "grandma" and the mildly dismissive comment I get (at least to my ear they sound that way)
I really appreciated someone speaking to the need for a new view of grandparenting, asserting the value to all family members but also making the case for a deeper meaning of the role for the "grandma" herself and asking for greater respect for this role.
This said, it could be more!
It's a hard book to categorize:
--Kind and thoughtful narrative at beginning and end, with the bulk of the book is instructions for home-based, largely life-skills, activities for school-aged grandchildren. You wouldn't want to show the grandchildren themselves ahead of time as they are, in fact, activities mirroring a corporate retreat which was her inspiration so might fall flat if just read by a child and not encouraged by a charismatic, loving grandma.
--It's not a hobby-type or DIY book but neither is it substantial (yet) in analysis
--It is not a scholarly book yet there are facts referred to without citations or evidence, nor further reading or other suggestions for a deeper, different understandings of grandparenting.
--So that makes it, rather, an essay but she wants to be taken seriously with a case for more respect for grandparenting but it needs substantiation.
--It is not a memoir but there are lots of personal stories and the suggestions come straight from this (albeit successful) retired business person's life experience. And that could well limit the utility only for a limited audience, in fact--people with means, time, professional background, grandmas like the author, and myself (so, I found the activities relevant and implementable but not sure who else I would recommend this book to).
So in the end, missed opportunities to make this an even better book, for a wider audience, to fit an obvious need about more writing about grandparenting roles and impact. Next edition?
Grandmother is the first job I have not felt "imposter syndrome" for, and I say "job" since I have offered to be regular childcare most days of the week for the last nine month due to the pandemic. This was not my plan for myself, after 35 years at a profession, nor my daughter's for her child. But I have created a Grandma Camp of my own. And yet I still wince a bit at "grandma" and the mildly dismissive comment I get (at least to my ear they sound that way)
I really appreciated someone speaking to the need for a new view of grandparenting, asserting the value to all family members but also making the case for a deeper meaning of the role for the "grandma" herself and asking for greater respect for this role.
This said, it could be more!
It's a hard book to categorize:
--Kind and thoughtful narrative at beginning and end, with the bulk of the book is instructions for home-based, largely life-skills, activities for school-aged grandchildren. You wouldn't want to show the grandchildren themselves ahead of time as they are, in fact, activities mirroring a corporate retreat which was her inspiration so might fall flat if just read by a child and not encouraged by a charismatic, loving grandma.
--It's not a hobby-type or DIY book but neither is it substantial (yet) in analysis
--It is not a scholarly book yet there are facts referred to without citations or evidence, nor further reading or other suggestions for a deeper, different understandings of grandparenting.
--So that makes it, rather, an essay but she wants to be taken seriously with a case for more respect for grandparenting but it needs substantiation.
--It is not a memoir but there are lots of personal stories and the suggestions come straight from this (albeit successful) retired business person's life experience. And that could well limit the utility only for a limited audience, in fact--people with means, time, professional background, grandmas like the author, and myself (so, I found the activities relevant and implementable but not sure who else I would recommend this book to).
So in the end, missed opportunities to make this an even better book, for a wider audience, to fit an obvious need about more writing about grandparenting roles and impact. Next edition?
May 24, 2019
Thank you to Booksparks and She Writes Press for the complimentary ARC of Marianne Waggoner Day’s new book, Camp Grandma: Next Generation Grandparenting — Beyond Babysitting.
I am a mother to daughters, ages 5 and 3, and we are very fortunate that my mom (a/k/a Nanna) is a phenomenal grandmother to them. My parents spend a lot of time with my girls now that they’re both retired. I knew Camp Grandma was right up my mom’s alley because she’s always doing creative, out of the box activities with my girls. Mom and I both thoroughly enjoyed Camp Grandma and took away some ideas to implement with my girls. Camp Grandma is written from the author’s perspective as a former corporate career woman. When the author has her grandchildren, they meet at the table each day and come up with an agenda for the day: what’s the goal; how to achieve the goal; tools needed; time required; and lessons learned. The author strives to incorporate value added activities that will teach skills used in life, school, and work environment such as listening, following directions, teamwork, presentations, speaking in front of groups, and tolerance of each other’s differences.
For example, one of our favorite activities, baking cookies, may include teamwork, history, and mathematical lessons. The author would teach teamwork by pairing up an older grandchild who can read with a younger one that doesn’t read and they divide the tasks and work together. Additionally, the author may select a recipe that is a great-grandmother’s recipe and use that as an opportunity to discuss genaology and family history. By measuring ingredients, the author is able to discuss math and measurements.
The book is great for parents or grandparents with children of all ages, although the structure of the activities would depend on the ages of the children. Additionally, this could be a good resource for teachers as they write lesson plans to teach skills such as team building and listening skills. An additional aspect of the book we appreciated is the tips for grandparents who don’t live close to their grandchildren. She has helpful recommendations for the use of modern technology such as texting, social media, and Skype, etc., to learn new skills such as a new language. This is such a great book and quite a fun resource for anyone working with young children but especially grandparents who want to contribute more to their grandchildren’s lives than just babysitting time.
I am a mother to daughters, ages 5 and 3, and we are very fortunate that my mom (a/k/a Nanna) is a phenomenal grandmother to them. My parents spend a lot of time with my girls now that they’re both retired. I knew Camp Grandma was right up my mom’s alley because she’s always doing creative, out of the box activities with my girls. Mom and I both thoroughly enjoyed Camp Grandma and took away some ideas to implement with my girls. Camp Grandma is written from the author’s perspective as a former corporate career woman. When the author has her grandchildren, they meet at the table each day and come up with an agenda for the day: what’s the goal; how to achieve the goal; tools needed; time required; and lessons learned. The author strives to incorporate value added activities that will teach skills used in life, school, and work environment such as listening, following directions, teamwork, presentations, speaking in front of groups, and tolerance of each other’s differences.
For example, one of our favorite activities, baking cookies, may include teamwork, history, and mathematical lessons. The author would teach teamwork by pairing up an older grandchild who can read with a younger one that doesn’t read and they divide the tasks and work together. Additionally, the author may select a recipe that is a great-grandmother’s recipe and use that as an opportunity to discuss genaology and family history. By measuring ingredients, the author is able to discuss math and measurements.
The book is great for parents or grandparents with children of all ages, although the structure of the activities would depend on the ages of the children. Additionally, this could be a good resource for teachers as they write lesson plans to teach skills such as team building and listening skills. An additional aspect of the book we appreciated is the tips for grandparents who don’t live close to their grandchildren. She has helpful recommendations for the use of modern technology such as texting, social media, and Skype, etc., to learn new skills such as a new language. This is such a great book and quite a fun resource for anyone working with young children but especially grandparents who want to contribute more to their grandchildren’s lives than just babysitting time.
April 24, 2019
Not being a grandmother myself I wasn’t sure I would get much out of this book. But by the end of the first chapter I knew I was wrong. Not only did the author help me look at my own daughter’s needs in a new way, but I realized that my parents were only just learning about their own role and working out how they fit into our new family. As soon as I finished the book I shipped it off to my mother, knowing she’ll get a tremendous amount out of it.
This book talks about grandparents not as babysitters but rather as caretakers, role models, teachers, historians, storytellers, confidants, mentors and trusted examples of how to love and be loved.
Thinking about my own grandmother, I’m inclined to agree with the author that multigenerational distance gives grandparents a perspective that is very different (and valuable) to that of parents. And also, that characteristics often to skip a generation, making children much more similar to their grandparents than their own parents. That is certainly the case with my own daughter, where she even looks just like her two grandparents, but nothing like my husband and myself.
Kids thrive on structure, and Marianne’s Camp Grandma, which is structured similarly to a corporate retreat, helps them learn a host of skills that will serve them later in life. She helps her grandchildren set agendas and goals, and talk about their expectations. Then they split their time with her into three main categories:
1. Presentations: where they show and tell, teaching them preparation, public speaking, communication, and listening skills.
2. Things to Learn: where they might focus on manners, family history, or resume building. You might think writing a resume is a strange thing for a child to do, but it helps them identify their skills, areas of strength and the experiences they’ve had so far, all of which help build confidence and pride.
3. Activity Time, which can include swimming, baking, crafts or any other activities they vote onto the agenda. These activities allow for physical movement, develop motor skills, teamwork and allow them to express themselves.
The book is written in a story-telling way that is entertaining to read while being clearly segmented for ease of finding information. It would make a wonderful gift to new and established grandparents alike.
This book talks about grandparents not as babysitters but rather as caretakers, role models, teachers, historians, storytellers, confidants, mentors and trusted examples of how to love and be loved.
Thinking about my own grandmother, I’m inclined to agree with the author that multigenerational distance gives grandparents a perspective that is very different (and valuable) to that of parents. And also, that characteristics often to skip a generation, making children much more similar to their grandparents than their own parents. That is certainly the case with my own daughter, where she even looks just like her two grandparents, but nothing like my husband and myself.
Kids thrive on structure, and Marianne’s Camp Grandma, which is structured similarly to a corporate retreat, helps them learn a host of skills that will serve them later in life. She helps her grandchildren set agendas and goals, and talk about their expectations. Then they split their time with her into three main categories:
1. Presentations: where they show and tell, teaching them preparation, public speaking, communication, and listening skills.
2. Things to Learn: where they might focus on manners, family history, or resume building. You might think writing a resume is a strange thing for a child to do, but it helps them identify their skills, areas of strength and the experiences they’ve had so far, all of which help build confidence and pride.
3. Activity Time, which can include swimming, baking, crafts or any other activities they vote onto the agenda. These activities allow for physical movement, develop motor skills, teamwork and allow them to express themselves.
The book is written in a story-telling way that is entertaining to read while being clearly segmented for ease of finding information. It would make a wonderful gift to new and established grandparents alike.
May 16, 2024
Camp Grandma came to me at a perfect time. A few short weeks ago I became a grandma to a little girl. Over these past nine months, I have been wondering what kind of a grandma I want to be and how I can support my daughter and her husband in loving our little one. This book gave me some great ideas. My grandmother was incredible at infusing her life experiences to us through baking, sewing, and bowling with each of her grandchildren. I want to be that kind of grandma also.
Camp Grandma is a semi-handbook on how to become a role model, a teacher, a mentor and someone who a grandchild can feel has the very best wishes for them.
Some of this book is pure genius- ideas stemming from the author's own experiences and her values shine light on ways to teach the next generation, however, other parts of this book became a little a too wordy through her experiences like work situations and other life stories that got in the way which made it hard to completely appreciate all the ideas and the good tips of helping your grandchildren become contributing and helpful citizens of the world around them. I appreciate the fact that the life lessons she learned and the experiences she learned them from were an avenue for us to see where the lessons came from they just didn't speak to me as being as important in the book and more distracting for a reader who wants to bounce off ideas from others.
I did love how the author, Marianne Waggoner Day portrayed her grandchildren. They were Impish, easily distracted and very willing when they settled down to learn from their grandmother. These experiences, the interactions with her grandchildren are what spread sunshine through the book.
The sunshine of the book (her grandchildren) and the activity sections of each value Ms. Day was teaching were my favorite parts of the book. Too bad we couldn't get these sections of the book and the life experiences in a more simplistic format.
Thanks to SheWritesPress for the opportunity to read Camp Grandma in lieu of my honest review.
Camp Grandma is a semi-handbook on how to become a role model, a teacher, a mentor and someone who a grandchild can feel has the very best wishes for them.
Some of this book is pure genius- ideas stemming from the author's own experiences and her values shine light on ways to teach the next generation, however, other parts of this book became a little a too wordy through her experiences like work situations and other life stories that got in the way which made it hard to completely appreciate all the ideas and the good tips of helping your grandchildren become contributing and helpful citizens of the world around them. I appreciate the fact that the life lessons she learned and the experiences she learned them from were an avenue for us to see where the lessons came from they just didn't speak to me as being as important in the book and more distracting for a reader who wants to bounce off ideas from others.
I did love how the author, Marianne Waggoner Day portrayed her grandchildren. They were Impish, easily distracted and very willing when they settled down to learn from their grandmother. These experiences, the interactions with her grandchildren are what spread sunshine through the book.
The sunshine of the book (her grandchildren) and the activity sections of each value Ms. Day was teaching were my favorite parts of the book. Too bad we couldn't get these sections of the book and the life experiences in a more simplistic format.
Thanks to SheWritesPress for the opportunity to read Camp Grandma in lieu of my honest review.
May 21, 2019
I received this book as part of the Camp Grandma pop-up tour!!
Camp Grandma, by Marianne Waggoner Day, is a book focused on grandparenting *beyond* babysitting. Day focuses on the business of grandparenting, and writes all about how she uses her time with her grandchildren to impart life lessons - both formal and traditional - and the adventures that she has had with them along the way.
Camp Grandma resonated with me in so many ways, but especially through her understanding of parenting in 2019. “It’s not easy for today’s parents to ask for help,” Day wrote, and this is so true for me - especially when it comes to my in-laws, who live closer to me than my own parents (she does also talk about long-distance grandparenting!). By recognizing this, I felt like Day really understood me as a modern parent.
Day covers so many different strategies and ways to connect with and help grandchildren grow. Some of my favorites were the treasure hunt, putting on plays, meeting family members and creating rock monsters! So many super fun activities to encourage Claire and Ben’s grandparents to enjoy with them, but also for me to engage with them during our summers together.
I felt like this book covered a wide range, but many of them were geared towards older kids. When Day first started Camp Grandma, her grandkids were between the ages of 5 and 10, and so while the activities are able to accomodate a wider age range, they are meant for older kids and not toddlers and preschoolers. So many of the skills she touches on, however, can be adapted for all ages and I liked that I had that ability using the framework from the book.
Thanks to Booksparks, She Writes Press, and SparkPoint Studio for inviting me to be a part of this pop-up tour and providing a copy to me for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Camp Grandma, by Marianne Waggoner Day, is a book focused on grandparenting *beyond* babysitting. Day focuses on the business of grandparenting, and writes all about how she uses her time with her grandchildren to impart life lessons - both formal and traditional - and the adventures that she has had with them along the way.
Camp Grandma resonated with me in so many ways, but especially through her understanding of parenting in 2019. “It’s not easy for today’s parents to ask for help,” Day wrote, and this is so true for me - especially when it comes to my in-laws, who live closer to me than my own parents (she does also talk about long-distance grandparenting!). By recognizing this, I felt like Day really understood me as a modern parent.
Day covers so many different strategies and ways to connect with and help grandchildren grow. Some of my favorites were the treasure hunt, putting on plays, meeting family members and creating rock monsters! So many super fun activities to encourage Claire and Ben’s grandparents to enjoy with them, but also for me to engage with them during our summers together.
I felt like this book covered a wide range, but many of them were geared towards older kids. When Day first started Camp Grandma, her grandkids were between the ages of 5 and 10, and so while the activities are able to accomodate a wider age range, they are meant for older kids and not toddlers and preschoolers. So many of the skills she touches on, however, can be adapted for all ages and I liked that I had that ability using the framework from the book.
Thanks to Booksparks, She Writes Press, and SparkPoint Studio for inviting me to be a part of this pop-up tour and providing a copy to me for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
April 28, 2019
I received this book as an ARC from BookSparks for my honest review. #bookshark
I think this book is great for any Grandmother who wants to take a more active roll in their grandchildren. Being a grandmother of 1 and having her often I agree that I don't want to be just a babysitter. I want to help make this little girl the woman she will become. Camp Grandma can help me do that. I love the goal setting techniques described in this book. I love all the activities described in this book. Camp Grandma is a book you will be able to refer to throughout raising your grandchildren.
I think this book is great for any Grandmother who wants to take a more active roll in their grandchildren. Being a grandmother of 1 and having her often I agree that I don't want to be just a babysitter. I want to help make this little girl the woman she will become. Camp Grandma can help me do that. I love the goal setting techniques described in this book. I love all the activities described in this book. Camp Grandma is a book you will be able to refer to throughout raising your grandchildren.
May 27, 2019
Sure, this books provides useful ideas on how to create your own “Camp Grandma”, beyond babysitting. But for me, it gave me great insight into relationships. It made me reflect on my own grandparents and how different my parents are approaching the grand-parenting role. Looking at things from the grandparents’ perspective also impacted how I view my own parenting style. Great resource for new parents, grandparents, and caregivers.
March 18, 2020
What a delightful book for any adult who aspires to be a grandparent! Full of anecdotes and ideas, this book lays out activities with a greater purpose for grandparents to connect with their grandchildren. I don't yet have grandchildren, but I want to start stocking up on art and craft supplies, and gathering recipes and garden ideas!
September 18, 2021
Way beyond babysitting
Camp Grandma was a fun book to read. Marianne begins with her business background and uses those skills to develop the best in her grandchildren. I think anyone who is a grandparent will appreciate her honesty. Being a grandparent is different today, but one thing remains the same … We love our grandchildren and we can help bring out their best selves!
Camp Grandma was a fun book to read. Marianne begins with her business background and uses those skills to develop the best in her grandchildren. I think anyone who is a grandparent will appreciate her honesty. Being a grandparent is different today, but one thing remains the same … We love our grandchildren and we can help bring out their best selves!
January 30, 2019
Read this as an ARC... this one is for all of us grandparents who know there is more to "babysitting" than babysitting when it comes to our grand kids. Day reminds us that we're mentors to the future generation (and lucky to have the opportunity!)
June 14, 2019
Quick read. Helpful ideas about helping your grandchildren when you get the chance to spend time with them. For a full review, see this post: http://xoxograndma.blogspot.com/2019/...
September 1, 2023
Great little book. Just happened to see this book at my local library and picked it up as I have two granddaughters that I interact with often. Some great ideas here and hope to try some of them out.
November 5, 2025
This is definitely for grandparents caring for older grandchildren. A former business executive, the author creates a corporate retreat for her grandchildren. If this is the vibe you are searching for in your time with your grandchildren, this will help. Otherwise, you might want to skip this.
May 15, 2019
This book is a great resource not only for grandparents, but for parents and anyone involved with children. It covers a lot of ideas for giving our children the resources they will need as adults and how to build on their strengths.
February 4, 2020
Wonderful Ideas to help nature your Grandchildren.
September 28, 2022
Lots of good ideas here! Spending time with grandkids can be beneficial to both parties!
August 2, 2019
“What is better than a great relationship…...Camp Grandma, when all is said and done, is about bringing my family, my grandchildren together to build deep and lasting relationships. --M. W. Day
Camp Grandma by Marianne Waggoner Day is a book that caught my attention because I spend a great deal of time with my grandchildren. The book explores the teaching opportunities grandparents have each time they have their grandchildren over especially if they are a primary child care provider.
Day focuses her examples on older children but you can simplify and apply her ideas to younger children as well. What I like about this book is Day’s emphasis on providing continuous opportunities for all your grandchildren to experience activities and events together. To provide them with a sense of a larger family being together, working together, making decisions together and creating memories together.
My three little “buddies” a term passed down from my parents are my joy right now. I try to do as much as I possibly can with them. I know the boys will start preschool next year and I will lose a lot of my time with them.
This summer we started a butterfly garden. I hope to make this a yearly tradition. I love the joy and curiosity I see in their faces, however I hate cleaning caterpillar poop.
Camp Grandma by Marianne Waggoner Day is a book that caught my attention because I spend a great deal of time with my grandchildren. The book explores the teaching opportunities grandparents have each time they have their grandchildren over especially if they are a primary child care provider.
Day focuses her examples on older children but you can simplify and apply her ideas to younger children as well. What I like about this book is Day’s emphasis on providing continuous opportunities for all your grandchildren to experience activities and events together. To provide them with a sense of a larger family being together, working together, making decisions together and creating memories together.
My three little “buddies” a term passed down from my parents are my joy right now. I try to do as much as I possibly can with them. I know the boys will start preschool next year and I will lose a lot of my time with them.
This summer we started a butterfly garden. I hope to make this a yearly tradition. I love the joy and curiosity I see in their faces, however I hate cleaning caterpillar poop.
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