Teaching Grandchildren Patience, Weight Loss Medications After 65, and Making a Second Home Pay Off

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History (Non-Fiction): Six Frigates by Ian W. Toll – This compelling history chronicles the creation of the U.S. Navy and the six warships that helped establish America as a maritime power.

Memoir: An Ohioan’s Odyssey by John J. Kulewicz – John J. Kulewicz reflects on his journey through law, civic leadership, and public service while sharing lessons about risk, perseverance, and pursuing meaningful goals.

Self-Help: Mindset Secrets for Winning by Mark Minervini – Mark Minervini shares mental strategies drawn from business, sports, and high performers to help readers build confidence, persistence, and a winning mindset.

Romance: The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller – Achilles and Patroclus form an extraordinary bond that grows into a powerful love story amid the gathering storm of the Trojan War.

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Patience is one of those qualities that's difficult, if not impossible, to impart through lectures. Children rarely become more patient because someone tells them to "wait." Instead, they learn it by experiencing situations where waiting is simply part of something worthwhile.

Notably, grandparents are uniquely positioned to offer these experiences because they're often able to move at a slower pace than the rest of the people children meet.

Some of the best opportunities to develop patience come through activities that can't be rushed:

Along the way, children discover that some of the most satisfying results arrive gradually, only being achieved with slow care.

It's tempting to step in and speed things up. Adults can tie shoes faster, frost cupcakes more neatly, and finish a project in half the time.

But when children are given the chance to participate at their own pace, they learn something far more valuable than efficiency. Waiting while they measure flour carefully or struggle to button a shirt communicates an important message: There's no rush. Take your time.

When a child encounters a small challenge, it's natural to want to help right away. Instead, try giving them prompts to work through the challenge:

Children frequently surprise themselves with what they can accomplish if they're given just a little extra time. By working at what they want to achieve, children directly experience that patience pays off. 

Not everything has to end with a completed project. Some of the most enjoyable afternoons are spent doing things that simply demand presence and attention, not a defined goal.

These activities can take a variety of forms:

Such experiences encourage children to slow down and pay attention instead of constantly asking, "What's next?"

Children notice far more than adults sometimes realize. They watch how you respond when a recipe takes longer than expected, the checkout line moves slowly, traffic delays your plans, and they ask you for extra help with a task.

Remaining calm during these ordinary moments teaches patience more effectively than any lecture ever could.

When children finish something, it's easy to comment on how quickly they did it. Instead, remark on their persistence:

These kinds of observations encourage children to value effort and perseverance rather than simply finishing fast.

Patience is about much more than waiting. It's about learning that some of life's best experiences unfold gradually.

Grandparents are often best positioned to pass on this lesson, as they have the gift of offering children something that's becoming increasingly rare: unhurried time, steady encouragement, and the opportunity to discover that not everything worthwhile happens immediately.

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“My Brother Came Home”
From the life overview of Walter P., 73, Phoenix, Arizona. Shared with permission.

I was sixteen in February 1969 when Frank, my older brother, came home from Vietnam. For most of the previous year, I had imagined what it would be like to see him again.

My mother wanted to meet Frank at the airport, but he told us not to make a fuss. That’s why my father picked him up alone while I waited at home with my mother and younger sister.

I remember rushing to the front window when they returned, the sound of the car pulling into the driveway signaling their arrival. Carrying a green duffel bag and appearing thinner than I remembered, Frank had grown a mustache while he was away. That seemed very important to me at the time.

Nobody could find the right words to say.

My mother just hugged him, and my sister started crying. My father shook his hand, then gave him a hug anyway. Frank looked at me and said, “You got tall.”

I told him he was the one who had been gone.

That night, we ate leftover roast beef for dinner. My mother hadn’t known exactly when they would arrive. Frank sat at the kitchen table and shared stories about Germany, Texas, and the people in his unit. However, he said very little about Vietnam.

The next morning, I found his boots covered in dried mud beside the back door.

For years, I thought the memorable part of that night was my brother returning home. Now I think it was something simpler: For the first time in a year, his boots were sitting by our door.

***

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You don't need a national-park vacation to enjoy a good nature walk. Local parks, greenways, wildlife refuges, and nature preserves often have trails close to home, including short routes that are perfect for an hour outdoors. Exploring them can introduce you to places you may have driven past for years without realizing what was there.

Start with your city, county, or state parks department, which may provide trail maps and information about parks and preserves close to home. Local land trusts, botanical gardens, wildlife refuges, and nature centers are also worth checking; many maintain walking trails that receive far less attention than major parks.

For a broader search, TrailLink lets you search for trails by location and provides maps, descriptions, photos, and reviews. AllTrails is another useful option for finding nearby routes and comparing details such as distance, elevation, trail type, and recent reports from other visitors.

Even for a short walk, look at the weather and trail conditions first. Find out where you'll park, whether there's an entrance fee, when gates close, and whether restrooms and drinking water are available.

Bring water, sun protection, and a charged phone. If you're heading somewhere unfamiliar, tell someone where you're going and when you expect to return. The National Park Service's hiking resources include practical information for planning ahead and staying safe on trails.

A nature trail becomes more interesting when you pay attention to what's around you. Look for wildflowers, mushrooms, animal tracks, birds, unusual trees, or signs explaining local history.

If something catches your eye, take a photograph and try identifying it with iNaturalist or use Merlin Bird ID for birds.

You don't need to cover a certain number of miles for a walk to be worthwhile. Pick an interesting trail, take your time, and see what you discover along the way.

Downloading a document, photo, or program takes only a few clicks, but it’s worth checking where a file came from before opening it. Malicious files can contain software designed to steal information, damage a device, or install unwanted programs.

Download files from websites and people you trust. If an unexpected email or text asks you to download an attachment—even if it appears to come from a familiar company or person—verify it first. Be especially cautious with messages that create urgency, such as claiming an account will be closed unless you download a document immediately.

When downloading software, use the developer’s official website or your device’s official app store rather than an unfamiliar download site.

Pay attention to the file name and type. Documents commonly end in .pdf, .docx, or .xlsx, while photos may end in .jpg or .png. Files ending in .exe, .msi, .bat, or .scr can run programs on a Windows computer and deserve extra caution.

Keep your operating system and security software updated so they can detect known threats. If a download seems unusual or you weren’t expecting it, delete it rather than opening it. You can always request a fresh copy from the sender after confirming it’s legitimate.

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