What does a “dog whisperer” have to do with effective grandparenting? Columnist Marcia Segelstein suggests in a 2009 article about the challenges facing today’s Christian parents that perhaps it has a lot to do with it. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by and at odds with the distorted worldview that permeates our culture. Grandparents, as well as parents, feel angst at times as they seek to find ways to effectively counter this convoluted world system that is changing faster than they can keep up. So, how does a grandparent effectively represent Christ in this culture to their grandchildren?

Part of the answer, according to Segelstein, is recovery a lost respect for the authority of parent or grandparents caused, in part, by caring more about being liked or wanting to be our grandkids’ friends than being a adult authority figure in their lives. It’s true, our grandchildren a model to imitate, not a buddy to manipulate. We can enjoy them and create those special relationships with them, but we also need to fulfill our role as “grand”-parents.

The famous dog-whisperer, Cesar Millan, has apparently caught the attention of a lot of parents recently. They are seeking to apply some of his methods for dog-training in their own child-rearing. While Mr. Millan doesn’t offer advice about child-rearing, he did comment in a New York Times article his personal thoughts saying he follows “a more traditional, hierarchical child-rearing philosophy”.  “In America,” he comments, “kids have too many options when they need only one: ‘Just do it, because.’” Pretty good advice for grandparents, as well as parents, I think.

God said it this way: “These commandments I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children.” (Deut. 6:6-7) How do we do that? Read the rest of verse 7 through verse 9 for some clues. It’s advice that both parents and grandparents would do well to take seriously. I suspect even the “dog-whisperer” might agree.

GRANDPAUSE: “Our role [grandparents] is to set such clear standards for living that by simply studying our example, our grandchildren can get all the inspiration they need to chart their own courses wisely.” –Tim and Darcy Kimmel; Extreme Grandparenting