grandmother noun 1: the mother of one’s father or mother; 2: a female ancestor-grandmotherly adj
nanny noun a child’s nurse or caregiver (probably of baby-talk origin)
caregiver noun a person who provides direct care (as for children, elderly people or the chronically ill)
granny noun 1a. GRANDMOTHER 1b: a fussy person; 2: chiefly Southern & south Midland: MIDWIFE
Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary
The definitions above seem so simply stated. They are also all nouns, with no verb or explanation of the act of being a grandmother, nanny, or caregiver. One definition of granny is negative. And one of the special parts of life-- being a grandmother -- takes action and work. Author Dr. Lois Young-Tulin, grandmother of 8, has taken it upon herself to write a simple guidebook for the verb of grandmother. In the 110-page The Granny Nanny: A Guidebook for Modern Grandmothers, Conscious Grandmothering or What Every Grandmother Should Know About Babysitting,she provides the dos and don’ts for successful relationships with not only grandchildren but their own children/children-in-law. With her first sentences, Young-Tulin sets an important tone: “Think about it. In order to be grandmothers we once had to be mothers. After giving birth, we, as the mothers, were responsible for our baby’s/child’s well being. As grandmothers, on the other hand, we have choices. Our roles are open for interpretation and conscious choices. When I became a grandmother, and even when my daughters-in-law were pregnant, I made a conscious decision to be an involved grandmother, one of the caretakers or a Granny-Nanny. I was sure that helping out and taking care of a baby would be easy like getting back on a bicycle after a twenty-year lapse. Oh, how wrong I was....”
Things change
over decades and generations. There’s disposable diapers vs. cloth
diapers, laws about car seats, security of cribs, whether to lie
a baby on its stomach or back. It’s more than that. What worked back
when, may not work or be right now. Young-Tulin also recognizes that the other
major
elements
that
have changed
is the family unit. More mothers are working. Grandmothers are not relied upon
just to knit sweaters.
Her chapters include topics like dealing with in-laws,
grandmothers who live nearby and far away, divorced parents and divorced grandparents,
step-granny nannies, gay granny nannies and grandchildren of gay children,
chosen granny nanny, live-in granny nannies and more. This book is certainly
timely, so much so, that publisher iuniverse has already labeled it an Editor’s
Choice designation.
Author Lois Young-Tulin (left) with one of her grandchildren.
Author Lois Young-Tulin:
lois@thegrannynannyguidebook.com
Publicity and Appearances: Michael Kleiner pr@thegrannynannyguidebook.com
There is an appearance form on the Appearances page
and an interview request form on the Pressroom page.
The Granny
Nanny can be purchased in hard cover or paperback at
iUniverse.com (You can browse the book online!)
Barnes & Noble.com
Amazon.com
Lightning Source, a division of Ingram Distribution.
Ingram’s address and telephone number are:
Ingram Book Company
One Ingram Blvd, PO Box 3006
La Vergne, TN 37086-1986
Phone 800-937-8000
Customer Service 800-937-8200
Booksellers wishing to purchase the book should call 877-823-9235.
BooksPrice.com: Multiple Book Price Comparison
This web
site was designed by Michael Kleiner
Public Relations Consulting and Web Design.
© Lois Young-Tulin 2005
The
photos of grandmothers and grandchildren used in the banner and on the
other web site pages
-- with the exception of the authors’ --
were purchased from istockphoto.com for
the express use to enhance the design of this web site.
They may not
be downloaded for any purposes.