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Gardening with kids is a great experience for you and for them.  And it can teach you both something along the way.  Get your hands dirty and find the pearls of gardening wisdom and share them with your Grandchildren.

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Gardening with Grandkids

Digging.  Getting your hands dirty.  Being caught by the sprinkler.  Watching the seeds sprout.  Looking for the first bud.  Waiting for the growth.  Picking the harvest.  Sharing your results.  Making memories gardening with Grandkids.

The cycle of gardening can be a way to help children develop qualities and learn skills that will stay with them for a lifetime.

You and your Grandchildren may not realize it, but the seeds you are planting now will develop and grow in the years to come.

P.S. If you don’t have Grandchildren, these are some pretty valuable words of Gardening Wisdom that would benefit everyone.

Related:  13 Best Gardening Gifts for Grandmas

Gems from the Garden

Here are some gems of wisdom that your Grandkids can learn by gardening with you.

Have a Gameplan

In Gardening:  Plan ahead.  Decide what goes in the garden, what area of ground you will use, where each item will be placed, how you will run the water supply and what you will do with the bounty.

In life:  Learn to plan ahead here, too.  Know what you want from life.  Figure out what it takes to get there.  Know your direction and set your goals. Have a game plan for your life.

Gather supplies

In gardening: Find the seeds, compost, fertilizer or other organic materials to add to the dirt, materials for labeling the rows, find the hoses and sprinklers, shovels and gloves.

In life: Be prepared and know what you need for a project, have the right tools, and find the right supplies.  Learn to gather the things you will need to be successful – an education, money, friends, and family for support.  Gather your supplies and prepare to accomplish your goals.

Lay the Groundwork

In gardening:  Begin with good soil.  Fertile ground, ready for growing, will give the seed an optimum chance for germination.  Lay the proper groundwork to glean the most return from your garden.

In life:  This is one place Grandma can help lay the groundwork for a successful garden and a successful life.  Grandparents play a part in helping build a strong foundation where the Grandkids can flourish .  Give your Grands a great start by providing them the tools for growth and the support they need for the future.  Lay the groundwork for success.

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You’ll Grow what you Sow

In gardening:  If your plan is to grow green beans in your garden, you want to plant green bean seeds.  To grow gardenias, plant gardenia seeds.   The old saying, “you reap what you sow” is literal when it comes to gardening.  Don’t expect to see garlic when you plant goldenrod seeds.

In life:  “Grow what you sow” applies to life as well.  You get what you give.  If you would like to see kindness, plant seeds of kindness.  Show generosity by being generous, and gratitude by being grateful.  Be an example to your Grandkids by demonstrating the positive characteristics you would like to see in them.  Sow the seeds, nurture them, watch them take root and grow.

Guard against Grubs

In gardening:  Protect your garden by guarding against grubs and other insects and varmints.  Put up a fence to keep the rabbits away.  Find a way to deter unwelcome guests in your garden.  For your green beans to thrive, they must be protected from those who would do harm.

In life: Protect your Grandchildren in the same way by watching them closely when they are in your care,  making your home safe for them, screening television programs, going easy on the sweets, and providing an appropriate environment for them.  Protect your Grands from the grubs of life.

Gardening Lessons: Protect your Grandchildren from the Grubs of life. Click to Tweet

In gardening:  After the seeds are sown and the watering is done, it’s a matter of great patience until you see the golden harvest of your labor.  They say good things come to those who wait.  This can be so true.  Waiting is hard, but the end result is generally very rewarding.

In life:  Patience is an important skill to develop in your life as well.  Wait for your investment to pay off, be dedicated to the process, know your reward will come with time.  Patience is a trait some grapple with mastering, but the grit and self-confidence that results are worth the wait.  Take time to gain patience.

Grant yourself Grace

In gardening: Some years your garden will be glorious.  But other years, you may experience a drought, a bug infestation, or searing hot temperatures that prevent the garden from producing generously.  Those are the seasons that you come up with a new plan, start again, and put the grimness and gloom of this year behind you and move on.

In life:  Things don’t always go your way.  There will times of disappointment and failure, times that can make you gruff and grumpy.  These are the times to get through your grieving and give it another go.  During the rough times, grant yourself grace.

Give Generously

In gardening:  During the bountiful seasons of gardening, you will have a gigantic supply of garden produce to feed your family.  The extras that are left should be shared generously with those who may not have a green thumb or that may have a genuine need for benevolence.  Share your bounty with others.

In life:  During the bountiful seasons of your life, spread the love by being generous to those around you.  Even during your not-so-bountiful times, your generous spirit should remain.  Giving to others just feels good and will come back to you many times over.  Learn to give generously.

Growing a Garden with Your Grandchildren

Working together in the garden can give you opportunities to share your insights and gardening wisdom with the little ones in your life.  Show them, guide them, teach them, and lead them.  Grandparents can have a significant influence on the lives of their Grandchildren.

If your Grands aren’t there every day or live far away, working in your garden can give you time to reflect on the gems of knowledge you have to share with them.  Use technology to share your garden with them.  Can some vegetables to share with them during your next visit.  Bake a pie for them using the blackberries you have picked.

Find a way to share your love of gardening with your Grandchildren as well as the lessons for life that gardening provides.

Keep Passing Down the Love,

 

This post was part of the #AtoZChallenge series, Letter G.

G is for Gardening with Grandkids

If you missed the previous posts in the #AtoZChallenge series, click here for the complete list.

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