Helping Kids Connect with Their Grandparents and the Older Generation
Episode 109 —
Guest: Isabel Tom, author & creator of the Grandkid Investigator Kit
Host: Elle Cole
Series: Season 5
Show Notes: In this heartwarming and practical episode, I’m joined by Isabel Tom, author of The Value of Wrinkles: A Young Perspective on How Loving the Old Will Change Your Life and creator of the Grandkid Investigator Kit. Isabel is a mom, wife, daughter—and as she lovingly says—a retired granddaughter. She brings her personal experience from growing up in a multigenerational household and her professional background in senior living and hospice care to help parents navigate the often-sticky topic of intergenerational relationships.
Together, we explore a timely and often overlooked question:
What can parents do to help children value—and truly connect with—their grandparents and other older adults?
We discuss:
- Why this topic resonates deeply with Christian, homeschooling, and family-focused parents
- Common challenges moms and dads face when trying to foster connection between their kids and grandparents or elders
- Practical steps families can take to cultivate respect, honor, and empathy for older generations
- The story behind the Grandkid Investigator initiative and why Isabel launched the Grandkid Investigator Kit in 2023
- How the kit works—and how it can be adapted for neurodivergent children, including those with ADHD and autism
Whether your relationship with your own parents is strong or strained, this conversation offers grace-filled encouragement and simple tools to help your children form lasting, meaningful bonds with the older generation.
🔗 Learn more about Isabel Tom:
🌐 Website: valueofwrinkles.com
📘 Book: The Value of Wrinkles
📦 Get a FREE Mission from the Grandkid Investigator Kit: valueofwrinkles.com/freemission
📸 Instagram: @isabelctom
📘 Facebook: The Value of Wrinkles
📄 Download Kit Resource: Google Drive Link
P.S. Isabel is a friend—and I’m so glad to share this conversation with you!
