The saying “Parents know a lot, but grandparents know everything” holds true in many ways. Grandparents occupy a special and irreplaceable role within families, acting as pillars of wisdom, love, and stability.
As living links to a family’s cultural roots and history, grandparents pass on invaluable knowledge through stories of their own experiences, childhoods, and the challenges they’ve overcome. This storytelling helps the younger generation connect to the past, fostering a strong sense of identity and belonging by making them aware of where their family comes from and the sacrifices made by earlier generations.
In addition to imparting life lessons, grandparents model behaviour like empathy and gratitude, shaping how grandchildren interact with the world around them. Their calm, balanced perspective can strengthen family bonds and promote harmony. They are also the guardians of family traditions, ensuring that cultural customs, holiday celebrations, and special meals are passed down through generations. These practices preserve a family’s legacy, offering continuity and helping grandchildren understand their place in a broader historical and cultural context.
As the UK marked Grandparents' Day on Sunday, October 6, Asian Voice explored the vital role grandparents play in the lives of their grandchildren.
Pranav Bhanot, 36, spent the first 30 years of his life living with his grandparents in an extended household. Reflecting on the close relationship he shared with them, he remarked, “My grandparents, in my world, are just like my second parents. They helped raise me, took me on holidays, picked me up from school, and I'm very fortunate to still have one of my paternal grandparents living with us at home.”
The comfort grandparents provide their grandchildren is unique and deeply cherished, rooted in love, wisdom, and a sense of security. Grandparents often offer a calm, nurturing presence that makes their grandchildren feel safe and cared for, in ways distinct from the parent-child dynamic. Pranav’s experience exemplifies this bond. He shared, “My grandparents have always been that source of comfort when everything seems to be caving in. Because they’ve lived through so much, they are able to offer a different perspective on the challenges we face.”
He fondly recalls one of his favourite memories sharing, “From the age of two or three until now, one of my favourite things has been going into my grandma's room, sitting with her, and just talking about the world and how it’s changing. I love hearing her stories about growing up in East Africa and moving to the United Kingdom. The real value they've brought to our lives comes from the many sacrifices they've made for the betterment of our generation. In many ways, I see that we stand on their shoulders—on the shoulders of giants, really. The life we have now is entirely due to the sacrifices they made.”
Pranav believes the best way to honour grandparents is by showing appreciation while they are still alive. “Too often, people express their love and appreciation for grandparents after they’ve passed away, at their funeral. It’s much more meaningful to celebrate them while they’re still here, by spending quality time with them and letting them know how much they mean to you.”
He added, “Grandparents are probably the most valuable people in my life. I don’t know how much longer I’ll have them, but I feel incredibly blessed to still have my grandma and nanny-ma—both maternal figures. I deeply miss the father figures who are no longer with us, my dadaji and nanaji.”
