Letters

Advice for Grandparents

Being a proud grandma of two adorable granddaughters, I was delighted to see the recent article in the United News on the joys of grandparenting ("Now Starring in a Supporting Role...," December 2006, page 8).

For new grandparents and those with young grandchildren, I strongly recommend buying the widest and most durable rocker/recliner that you can since it will be used often. It needs to be wide enough to hold more than one dear little grandchild at the same time. A rocker/recliner is needed so that those dear little children can choose whether or not they want to be rocked or would prefer being able to snuggle against Grandma and stretch out their legs while Grandma reads them a book.

Be sure to give them plenty of time and live as close to your grandchildren as possible. An advantage retired grandparents have that parents don't is time! Our granddaughters benefit from Grandma and Grandpa walking to school to pick them up. They get many hours of fun on the playground after school along with other friends whose parents decide to let them stay. Usually they are the last to leave.

If you can, chaperone them on a field trip, attend a school program or eat at school with them. It is exciting to a child for a grandparent to be involved and is also exciting for the teacher and other students.

Grandparents have a unique opportunity for fostering imagination, which is a precious gift to give a child. This can be done by keeping the TV off while providing only a few toys in order to spark thinking and creative play. The computer has provided many happy hours of searching for pictures of animals that they can print out and later play with.

—Marilyn Braley, Houston, Texas

United News Articles

Thank you for the article series on children (Nancy Capo) and wonderful values (Don Hooser)—great reminders and helps to keep us focused on God's ways. Tim Grove's article ["After the Millennium, Then What?" November 2006, page 17] is an excellent affirmation of our goal to look toward our spiritual reward.

Thank you for all the writers who keep us with the vision of God's way on paper.

—Colorado

"To Vote or Not to Vote"

I wish to comment on the article "To Vote or Not to Vote" [September/October 2006, page 8]. I knew the Church teaching was not to vote. This is the first time I saw an article in print in United News. So come what may, I will not vote.

—South Africa

Financial Statements

I appreciate the audited financial statements in United News [November, pages 6 and 7]. I wish they were larger. They are hard to read.

—Illinois

Sorry that the statements were hard to read. You can access them on the Web in PDF format at www.ucg.org/un/un0611/financial.pdf. There you can view them or print them at a larger size.

Letters to the Editor: Letters may be edited for length and clarity. Comments and suggestions to improve United News are welcome. Please let us know if you would like your name printed. Mail to: United News, P.O. Box 541027, Cincinnati, OH 45254-1027 or e-mail mike_bennett@ucg.org.