One Grandfather + Four Grandkids = Many Grandparent Adventures [Part 2]

Lizzie: What would you say is a big difference between simply going to visit your grandkids and taking them on a Grandparent Adventure?

Mike: I think the most interesting component of the Road Scholar Grandparent program is that you do the activities together. So, you see your grandchild involved in a learning process and you’re engaged with them in a project, whether it’s something like how to prevent a forest fire or learning about birds. And that’s a different experience than just asking them, “How was school? Tell me about what you’re studying,” and getting a monosyllabic answer. That doesn’t occur when you’re with your grandchild and actively learning how to do something on a Grandparent Adventure like paddling on a river or learning how to stay safe in a raft. It’s participatory for both the grandparent and grandchild. Another thing is that you see your grandchild with other children and how they react, and you see how your grandchildren react to other older adults. And that’s interesting, too. And then you give them some space so that they can go do things with the other kids.

Lizzie: For other grandparents out there considering a Road Scholar Grandparent Adventure, how did you get your grandkids on board?

Mike: I would talk to the parents about taking one of the kids on a program. Then, I’d have my grandchild look at the catalog and see what they were interested in. We’d have some phone discussions, or maybe if I was visiting, we’d go over the catalog together, until we reached a mutual decision about what program they’d like to attend. It wasn’t like, “I’m taking you here!” They participated in deciding. Once we chose the program, they had a vested interest in it.

Lizzie: Do you think that any of these Grandparent programs instilled a love of travel, learning and adventure in your grandkids? Or maybe sparked an interest that they later pursued?

Mike: Well, my oldest granddaughter, Gwen, loves to hike now. She didn’t as a little girl. But I took her on some Grandparent programs, and she learned to hike. She’s a terrific backpacker now and goes on long journeys with her buddies from college and does some adventurous things. But the hiking part, I think, probably did come from her experience on a Road Scholar program. One time when my youngest grandson, Nathanial, was on a program with me, there was an opportunity for some pretty challenging rock climbing, and he was only about 11. He was with Gwen, his older cousin, and they rappelled down a sheer cliff. Well, I just got a picture sent to me the other day by his mother on his 17th birthday … jumping from a high cliff into a huge quarry pool many, many feet below, and I think his verve, determination and guts partially comes from that rock climbing experience he had with Road Scholar.

Lizzie: Would you say Grandparent Adventures take the grandkids out of their comfort zones?

Mike: Yes, and they take the grandparents out of their comfort zone, too! There were some programs where I felt, “Okay, this is a challenge, and I’ve got to go take it!” On my last program with Nathanial, we were in Costa Rica. And I did five zip line experiences. One of them was in Superman mode — I’d never done that before — where you’re hung from your back and you just go zipping along. But I figured if he could do it, I was going to do it. That was about three years ago. It was a great experience.

Lizzie: Do you have a favorite out of all the Grandparent programs that you went on?

Mike: No, I don’t, because they were all different. Different grandkids, different times and different experiences. On one of the Grandparent programs, the Olympic rowing team from Canada was staying at the same hotel as we were. So, my little grandson Nathaniel got to meet all these huge guys, and he loved posing with them and played some basketball with them!

Lizzie: Do you still travel with your grandkids?

Mike: Well, for my 80th, I took them all to Western Ireland, and now I’m going to do something for my 90th — take everybody and do something together.

Lizzie: Did you notice on the Grandparent Adventures a mix of Grandparents and grandchildren?

Mike: My wife was deceased by the time I started taking my grandchildren on programs, and so I just went alone with them. Yet I found it interesting that, on many of the programs, both grandparents were there. And it worked out equally well either way. I was always welcome. I saw women whose spouses were not living or couldn’t come with them for some reason, so they were just alone with their grandchild, and it went smoothly for them, too. I found that the groups became cohesive. The grandparents sort of had their own little inside jokes and stories to tell, and when the kids were off together playing games, the grandparents got time to talk. And they’d take an interest in the other grandchildren, too, because the kids developed friendships that the grandparents wanted to nurture.

Lizzie: I would imagine that at the end of a program, the whole group has come to know each other on a deeper level.

Mike: Oh yeah. There’s a very close bond that’s formed. The program serves to meet the needs of the kids and meet the needs of the grandparents. And everyone is aware of the uniqueness of the experience. There’s an emotional quality to it.

Lizzie: Do you happen to know if your grandkids ever kept in touch with a friend they made on a Grandparent Adventure?

Mike: Oh, yes. Absolutely. Very much so. And it was always nice to see one of my grandchildren tentatively develop a friendly relationship with someone else.

Lizzie: And do you think that quality time kept you in more of a relationship with them as they grew up?

Mike: Yeah, there’s no question. You know, paddling in a raft down a river or rappelling down a mountain — they’ve seen me do it well or perhaps make some mistakes and make a fool of myself. So, they see that Grandpop’s human. I’m not some idol to worship. I just want to have a relationship with them that goes both ways. And that’s the best part of it. The depth and the meaning. I’ll be 89 soon, so having these memories is really very important to me.

Lizzie: We all dream that our kids and grandkids are going to be happy and have opportunities, but if you can grab that quality time with them while you have the chance …

Mike: Take that time. Take that one- or two-week program. It’s just an incredible experience. I think the Grandparent Adventures provide a wealth of educational opportunities, good times and feelings between the grandparent and grandchild.

Lizzie: Do you have any parting advice for grandparents?

Mike: Do what’s right for you. We’re all different. We’re all unique, we have different attributes, and we have different things that are not our strengths. So, you’ve just got to figure it out as best you can. It’s the journey — and taking part of that journey with your grandkids. Life’s full of challenges. And part of it is letting your grandkids know there are challenges. Because of our bond, I can talk to my grandkids about the challenges they face in college. It isn’t all smooth. They’re going to run into tough times. But I remind them to stick to it and counter it.

Lizzie: Even if a young grandchild can’t grasp the value inherent in a Grandparent program, I’m sure those memories will be imprinted on their heart.

Mike: My grandchildren appreciate the Road Scholar Grandparent Adventures. That, I know. I have no question about that. None whatsoever.

Lizzie: Mike, you are a treasure. Thanks for sharing your stories, and here’s hoping that other grandparents are making wonderful memories with their grandkids, too.

Mike: It’s been a pleasure.

Here’s Part 1 of my interview with Mike Zoob, in case you missed it!

And be sure to check out our Grandparent Learning Adventures!