While plenty of students at Ivy Tech Northeast are parents, those who are grandparents don’t often get as much limelight. So to celebrate Grandparents Day, we introduce you to a student who is also a grandparent, Julie Lowry.
Julie has five grandchildren from ages 9 years to 6 weeks, and she shared a little about them for us:
I lived with my daughter Jayne and her three kids when I started at Ivy Tech. I was a stay-at-home grandma, and my daughter supported me in return. We lived together for 2 1/2 years, so my relationship is probably a little different than most grandparents: I couldn’t just spoil them and send them home!
The biggest lesson I taught my grandchildren is probably resiliency. They have seen that no matter the circumstances, you can come back from it. I remember my oldest granddaughter saying to me when I first started at Ivy Tech, “Grandma, I didn’t know old people could go to college!!”
Something else they probably learned from me was determination. I didn’t have to say a word: They watched me study, saw me stress over that stupid math class, and somehow pull off a B! The funny thing is, I really didn’t have to say anything at all. I set the example, and they were watching. It was pretty cool.
The biggest secret to having a good relationship with your grandkids is to be involved in their lives. I go to all the soccer games, Wildcat games, school programs, and more. They all love to play chef (I am studying hospitality administration) and are getting pretty good at it.
I’m probably harder on my grandkids than a normal grandparent because I was the caregiver for so long. I asked my son if he thought I was harder on him and his sister than I am on the grandkids, and he said, “For sure.” But my grandkids definitely listen to me better!
Happy Grandparents Day, Julie!
Julie’s grandkids. Click on images to zoom and for caption info.
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