What is the real difference between parenting and grandparenting? Hint: It involves a lot less loading the dishwasher and a lot more "Stimulation"! 🧸

In this chat with Nanny Sue, we dive headfirst into the beautiful chaos of managing different family dynamics—from busy school-aged schedules to surviving the "terrible twos." Sue lifts the curtain on what happens when Mum and Dad walk through the door, why she is proudly a self-confessed "crap cook," and how she “accidentally” triggered a toddler high !

From bedtime "gasbagging" to grandchildren who treat her handbag like a supermarket lucky dip, Sue shares the hilarious reality of everyday grand-life (including the constant battle tokeep glue sticks and Woolworths collectables out of little mouths!).

The conversation then takes a moving turn as Sue shares what it looks like be loved by her grandchildren, and her ultimate goal:to build an unconditional, judgment-free sanctuary for her family.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• The "Teddy Takeover": How to step in and stimulate a toddler one-on-one, and know exactly when to step back when parents get home.
• Parenting vs. Grandparenting: Why looking after grandkids for a weekend is a completely different dynamic to the full-time routine.
• Sneaky House Rules: The joy of allowing a bit of late-night "gasbagging" and letting the grandkids raid Nanny's pantry.
• The Ultimate Safe Harbour: Sue's message to her grandkids about trust and security.
• Finding Your Balance: Why acknowledging your own strengths and weaknesses makes you a better anchor for your family.

Connect with us:

• Never miss a single real-life grandparenting story—hit Follow right now on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music or your own favourite podcast app.
• To share your own story step up and message us on the Grandparents Today Facebook Page.

Theme music: Breath of Autumn by White Records

October 25 2026 is National Grandparents Day here in Australia, and our very special tribute broadcast is officially live.

For this episode, we did something a little bit different. We handed the microphone over entirely to the grandchildren. From toddlers to teenagers all the way to adult grandchildren, they are sharing the real, raw oral history of the people who helped shape them.

Tune in to hear a beautiful tapestry of voices reflecting on:
✨ Childhood Sensory Anchors: Piling into the back of an oldBedford ute, the roar of an old-school ice cream maker where you got to lick the beaters, and the sizzle of an iconic lamb roast.
🤭 Playful Friction: Enforcing the family swear jar, sleepwalking into cupboards, and a hard-bargained haggle over a set of drawers!

🛡️ The Quiet Rescue Mission: Deeply moving, honest reflections from adult grandchildren on how a grandparent became a protective shield and a safe haven during life's family storms.

To every person who lent their voice or their support to this show, we thank you!

To every golden grandparent out there—whether you're quietly holding a family together or just dishing out forbiddenlollies—we celebrate you.

You are not only golden, you are Grand.

The modern world can feel incredibly chaotic for an eight-year-old child. With trends changing by the second, how do we pass down a steady moral compass to the next generation?

In this mini-episode, we sit down across the virtual kitchen table with Bella as she shares her approach to grand-parenting:teaching her grandson the ancient, aspirational concepts of knightly virtues—loyalty, mercy, courage, and honesty.

From teaching emotional regulation to encouraging small acts of modern chivalry (like pulling out chairs and choosing a favorite ice cream flavor), Bella shares her own approach which includes respecting the boundaries of her adult daughter, and at the same time imparting wise habits through simple, everyday"tidbits" rather than grand lectures.

Key takeaways from this chat:

• The ancient virtues that can still resonate with children today.
• Grand-parenting gently from the sidelines without overstepping.

Join the Conversation:
How do you pass down values to your grandchildren without sounding pompous? Share your own kitchen-table stories, tips, or funny family rules over on the Grandparents Today Facebook Page.

Theme music: Breath of Autumn by White Records

'Treat any meanness as water off a duck's back. It’s not about you.'

What happens when you walk into a new relationship and realize that person already has their own small nest of grandchildren?

Welcome to Grandparents Today. In this episode Lynda shares her own experience of entering into a family as a step-grandparent.

With incredible clarity and road-tested wisdom, Lynda offers a practical playbook for anyone navigating this pathway.

Her advice? Don’t try to force a fairytale, don't try to buy affection, and—most importantly—never take a child's indifference or rejection personally.

It’s an honest, refreshing look at how simply being a steady, patient adult in the room can lead to long-term mutual respect.

Key Takeaways:

• Let the Kids Take the Lead: Why trying to force a grandparent bond on step-children backfires.
• It’s Not About You: Understanding the hidden grief and loyalties grandchildren hold for biological family members.
• Water Off a Duck's Back: How to handle coldness, boundaries, or resistance with adult maturity and grace.

🌱 Help build our Grand Community:
We are a grassroots podcast growing entirely through word-of-mouth. If this conversation hit home for you, please share it far and wide with the parents, grandparents, and blended families in your life!

Are you a step-grandparent finding your feet, or have you watched your family blend over the years? We want to hear yourstories. Drop us a message directly on our public GrandparentsToday Facebook Page.

And thank you for listening in!

Music Credit: "Breath of Autumn" by White Records.

Grandparenting through a family separation requires more than touch of diplomacy. But when that separation also involves a grandchild with an autism diagnosis and language delays, the role becomes even more critical. This week we air the highly anticipated Part 2 of our conversation with grandmother, Emily.

Emily previously opened up about the importance of family peacekeeping. In this new episode she shares the simple everyday methods that she and her husband use to draw their quiet 12-year-old grandson out of his shell. Through deliberate 'rescues' in hedge mazes and playful arguments over whether a passing car is green or yellow, they are actively building his confidence and giving him a safe space to challenge the world.

More than that, she shares how her grandson gives back to her by restoring her own childlike pleasure in the world.

Key Takeaways:

• The Power of Creative Play: How letting a child 'rescue' you in the maze, or correct your deliberate mistakes builds vital cognitive confidence.
• Recapturing the Wonder: The unique joy of experiencing milestones, like a zoo visit or buying show-bags, through the eyes of a child.

Connect with Us:Are you helping a grandchild navigate a unique learning or developmental path? We want to hear your grassroots strategies. Share your stories with us via the GrandparentsToday Facebook Page.

Music Credit: "Breath of Autumn" by White Records.

Sometimes being a grandparent is a walk in the park filled with hugs and easy laughter. Sometimes, it is a painful, quiet rescue mission. In this week's episode of Grandparents Today, we share a deeply moving, monologue from a grandmother navigating the reality of a daughter's opioid addiction, co-occurring mental illness, and the grandchildren caught in the middle.

With extraordinary vulnerability, our guest portrays the heartbreaking reality of trying to establish a safe haven for her young grandsons, the pain of watching them walk on eggshells, and the ultimate realization—echoed by actor Michael Douglas—that love alone cannot cure addiction.

She also shares beautifully how she protects her own mental well-being from burnout using the power of acceptance, letting go of corrosive resentment, and leaning on mindfulness to anchor her life while waiting for her grandsons to grow up.

To protect the privacy of her family this guest appears anonymously.

Key Takeaways:

• The Power of the Haven: How simple constants like clean sheets, regular meals, and a calm environment make a difference.
• The Unwritten Rules of Loyalty:Understanding the survival behaviours children display when caught between a struggling parent and worried grandparents.
• The Corrosion of Resentment: Why protecting your own mental space from anger and hostility is vital to surviving a long-term family crisis.
• Diluting the Pain: Looking closely at a powerful mindfulness approach by Christophe André to handle overwhelming ruminations and worry.
• The Long Game: How two teenage boys eventually 'opened their eyes' and reached out to their grandparents to build a better future.

Join the Conversation:
Have you had to act as a stable anchor during a family crisis, while trying to preserve your own mental health?

Share your thoughts and wisdom over at our GrandparentsToday Facebook Page. Or message us to be a guest … we would love to hear from you!

🏡 Help build our Grand Community:

Like us, follow us, and be sure to share us with all of your Grandest friends!

Music Credits:

Theme Track: "Breath of Autumn" by White Records.

What happens when an early childhood specialist becomes a grandmother?

Join us for a fascinating, deeply honest look at the delicate tightrope of modern grandparenting.

This is a must-listen for any grandparent trying to figure out exactly where they fit in their grandchildren's rapidly changing worlds.

In this episode of Grandparents Today, we sit down with a grandmother who is navigating the friction between parental boundaries and grandmotherly love.

From the playful era of "Naughty Nanna" t-shirts and sugar treats, and the importance of a being a safe space, to the reality of grandkids presenting differently as they grow towards their teens … the conversation dives right in.

We explore:

• Ice Cream Maker Memories: Looking back at some simple pleasures of a 1940s childhood.
• The Trust Tightrope: How to handle the moral dilemma when a grandchild shares a secret.
• Autonomy vs. Authority: When "Nana's house, Nana's rules" clashes with Mum and Dad boundaries.
• The Ultimate Legacy: Why creating an unconditional safe space and simply having fun matters infinitely more than teaching strict moral tales.

💬 Join the Conversation:
What advice did your own grandparents give you? How do you navigate conflicting rules and regs? Jump onto our Grandparents Today Facebook Page and let us know!

🎧 Enjoying the show?
Don't miss our major National Grandparents Day Tribute Show dropping on Sunday, 25 October!

Hit the Follow button right now so each new episode lands straight in your feed the second it goes live.

Thank you for being here ... and come back soon :)

Theme Music: "Breath of Autumn" by White Records.

What does it mean to support your adult children when they have a newborn, and to pour your own love into that precious little bundle?

How do you show up in a busy household without overstepping? 👵🍼

Welcome to Grandparents Today. In Part 1 of this gorgeous conversation, your host the Everyday Granny sits down with Nanny Sue to explore the no-nonsense Grand-skill of "reading the room".

Touching on how her own childhood experiences shaped the kind of grandmother she chose to become, Sue also explains how she consciously chose not to be the opinionated voice saying, "In my day..." (because we all know how that comes back to bite you on the bum!), and instead learned to read and respond to the exact energy levels of a household running on empty.

Finally, Sue takes us through the shock of a sudden family relocation to Canada … sharing her practical and creative wisdom on how she kept the Grand-bond alive across the globe using FaceTime sessions and a custom-made Fun with Nanny picture book.

This is an episode packed with real family architecture, highlighting the delicate art of filling your own cup when lifepulls your grandkids away.

You’ll discover all about:

• Reading the Room: How to step into an exhausted household and quietly help without asking a hundred and one questions.
• The Canada Sting: Navigating the deep grief of a long-distance family migration, and how to move forward.
• The Fun with Nanny Books: A brilliant, practical strategy for keeping toddlers familiar with your face from thousands of miles away.
• Community Grandparenting: Why filling the void bystepping up for other lonely kids in your local community can save your mental health.

Connect with us:

• Never miss a real, raw story from Grandparents Today—hit Follow right now.
• Did your grandkids ever move far away? How did you keep the connection alive? Share your stories on our official Grandparents Today Facebook Page.

Want to be our guest on the show? Share your story here.

Theme Music: "Breath of Autumn" by White Records.