I’m already a grandpa. More than once. My daughter Devin has a girl and a boy. I have a granddaughter and a grandson. Over the past few decades, this event, far more than the sale of Primal Kitchen, represents the change that has had the most impact on how I see myself in the grand scheme of things. I still remember the day I met my granddaughter. As I looked down at the little girl, barely aware of what was happening, I realized something big had happened. Things will never be the same again.
We talk a lot about gene expression here. The entire Primal Blueprint is designed around leveraging the environment to create the best possible stimulus for your genes. Genes are turned on and off based on the environmental stimuli they encounter, such as food, sleep, sunlight, exercise, and the chemicals they interact with. What may seem like “bad genes” on paper can be reduced, neutralized, or even positively transformed by providing the right environmental stimuli. And in many cases, mimicking the environment of our ancestors results in positive changes in gene expression, setting us up for health, fitness, and well-being.
If something as simple as the oil you use in cooking can change your gene expression, what about when you meet your grandchild for the first time? Because having a child yourself is another thing. It’s so cool, so transcendent, it changes your life, and you’ll never be the same, but when your kids have kids, there’s a real generational shift of the mind.
Your genes finally feel like they’re coming to an end. “You did it. You really did it.” After all, from the point of view of natural selection, it is not enough just to have children yourself. It is not enough to pass on one’s genes to the next generation. No, your genes want to see themselves passed on to the next generation. That’s because you “know” that the lineage will continue. It’s not just one more generation, it’s two more. It portends good things in the future. That is the promised land of your heritage. Are you saying that your genes are not sensitive to change?
The first thing I think about is how quickly life passes. When Devin was 12 years old just a few years ago, we went to soccer games, worked on class projects, and boogie boarded with his brother Kyle at Zuma Beach in Malibu. I feel like it was. Now she is a wife and mother and is trying to start her own family. The compression of time that occurs backwards in the mind seems almost unfair. Have I given enough? Did you fully appreciate or enjoy it in real time? And of course, now that I’m in his 70s, he continues to play Ultimate Frisbee, stand-up paddling, Fat Tire, bikes, and works out at the gym. So, on another level, my primal mind is wrestling with the reality that I’m a grandpa and maybe it’s time to step back a little. Because becoming a grandpa is a big signal that you have done your part and fulfilled your role. And what happens next?
The next thing you think about is how miraculous life is. How did this six pound bundle of joy and love become the perfect human being so quickly? When my own child was born, I didn’t think about it that much or put it into perspective. Now, suddenly, it confuses my mind and makes me think more deeply about the true meaning of life, love, responsibility, and purpose. This from a guy who’s all about biology, evolution, and epigenetics, and who always has a purely science-based answer to almost everything.
As I held that little girl, I believed that a miracle would happen. The source of those miracles is still unknown. I don’t know the source or if I can explain it in rational terms. But they absolutely exist.
Becoming a grandparent also brings new responsibilities. You’re a parent again, but a different kind of parent. You have a new job to do, so you better make the most of it and do the best job you can.
stay healthy
You don’t want to be the grandparent relegated to a walker, a hospital bed, a wheelchair, or even just a couch. I want to be a healthy grandpa and grandma who can play with their grandchildren. Throw a soccer ball. I’m going down to have a tea party. Throw it in the air, take it on an adventure, or go on a hike.
You need to stay healthy, be active and maintain your physical fitness. Not weak or frail.
Please tell
The classic role of grandparents is to pass on knowledge. It could be physical know-how that teaches skills such as car repair, carpentry, or cooking. It may be wisdom that conveys important life lessons and advice from a now lost era.
This is more than just tradition and culture. This is the biological role of grandparents. That is why grandparents were preserved within the human species. That’s why we don’t die just because we lose our ability to reproduce. We still have a role to play, and that is to pass on knowledge and wisdom to our grandchildren.
fulfill its role. The fact that I have worked so hard means that I need to pass on something to my grandchildren. Figure out what that is and try to communicate it.
pamper wisely
One of the important roles of grandparents is to spoil their grandchildren, but it must be done properly.
It rots without rotting. Expose your children to the finer, more enjoyable things in life without boring them or overdoing them. We want to make our children happy by not overindulging them and providing them with things that moms and dads don’t want. If it is perishable, use only the highest quality.
Give them quality ice cream instead of fake McDonald’s ice cream.
Give them good quality chocolate instead of chewy candies that stick to their teeth.
Instead of sitting your kids in front of Netflix, sit on the couch and watch classic children’s movies together.
Create a warm environment of peace and tranquility
“Grandma’s house” is more than just a physical space. It is emotional and a barrier from all the difficulties of the world. If a child’s home is a place of protection from the world, but also a place where they try to dominate the world, a place where children are trained for advancement, then grandma’s home is a place where they are purely It’s a place of refuge. A distillation, refinement and concentration of peace and warmth. Grandma’s house is so comfortable. Comfortable, warm, inviting and safe.
Be a good parent too
If possible, bring your grandchildren for a night or two. If you don’t have enough free time to build your marriage, your marriage will fail and your family (your grandchildren) will suffer as well. Help with childcare as much as possible so that your son or daughter has the space they need to keep their marriage strong.
Are you grandparents? I’d love to hear any tips or insights about your role as a Primal Grandparent and what that role means in your life.
Thank you everyone for reading.
Click here if you would like to add an avatar to all comments.