Your drill with the grandkids is similar to mine. We have dinner table conversations about current events. They have come to relish them...and they have come to expect answers to their questions. So, they ask questions.
When there is an opportunity for a demonstration -- e.g., the metamorphisis of a caterpillar into a butterfly -- they are invited to observe.
And I very much enjoy taking them on trips (or expotitions, as we call them, courtesy A.A. Milne). They provide the grist for geology, paleontology, geography, history and map-reading lessons.
They're anxious to learn...and I enjoy sharing what I know (and discovering new things myself).
Sounds like they'd enjoy visiting you, too.
That can be the hard part. When the 4 year old in the back seat asks why the car makes noise when going over parts of the highway... daughter sez "'splain him". And that leads to a discussion, followed by demonstration, followed by flights of fancy that have to be grounded in real physics...
Yep. I love it.
I was going to grow up to be a grumpy old bastard, but something happened along the way.
Now it seems like most of my joy comes from the garden and my kids/grandkids.
/johnny
>> map-reading lessons
There is a skill about to be almost completely lost due to the ubiquitous GPS. And I’ve seen anecdotal indications that even the military isn’t necessarily doing that great of a job teaching it these days.