Getting Grandma Writing-and maybe you too?

We all know we should encourage our kids to read- but did you ever think about encouraging your grandma to write?

I love to read.

I loved reading to my kids at bedtime, even if it did usually result in me dozing off before them when they were toddlers.

Mum also loves to read and was an amazing storyteller to my kids. “Grandma does all the voices!” they’d enthusiastically report after another marathon after-dinner session reading Harry Potter on summer holiday visits to England.

image: Yannick Pulver on Unsplash.com

And recently, we’ve loved hearing stories of how a new generation of little adventurers are happily listening to tales of Henry the field mouse. All good stuff as reading to your children does wonders for developing a lifelong love of books and helps with those essential school readiness skills. Although, if you ask Mum, she may suggest my son never did get the hang of sitting still at story time 😊.

But then the other day, as I pondered the process of writing, I discovered a whole bunch of impressive studies documenting the benefits of writing - especially for those of us who have been around for a while. The elderly, senior citizens, retired folk, heck even those of us not yet old enough for a vaccine! Apparently, there are all kinds of hidden brain-boosting bonuses to putting pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard in your golden years.

Here are a few I uncovered:

-searching for the right word helps your senior brain with recall and strengthens hand-brain connections.

-crafting sentences that make sense on the page helps to maintain strong speaking skills.

-venting your feelings through the written word can help to process pent-up emotions and lead to a feeling of calm.

-reliving positive experiences as you write about them can boost your mood and your self-confidence.

-creating a daily writing habit can help with embracing other healthy pursuits like a daily walk.

Looking for a way to lift your spirits and relieve stress? Never mind singing like no one is listening and dancing like no one is watching, how about writing without a care about who will read your words?

My research highlighted some other advantages to taking up writing later in life. Chances are you have fewer demands on your time- especially if you are retired and the kids are finally off the payroll and out of the house. You may now have your own desk and no longer need to compete for computer time or space at the kitchen table. And if you leave your scribbled notes and ‘back of the napkin’ ideas all over the dining room floor – who cares???

It’s also likely you have a clear view of who you are and how you see the world. So you are less likely to be troubled by the inner conflicts young writers face as they search for their authentic “voice.”

So, if you (or your grandma) are of an age with a little time on your hands and a few years of life experience under your belt and feel like giving your noggin a quick boost, research shows you should consider taking up writing. Whether penning a memoir as a legacy for your family, scribbling the antics of a bunch of friendly mice scurrying about the countryside or just writing a few chatty letters - why not give it a go?

There’s no pressure to craft a Sunday Times/New York Times bestseller and just think of all those cognitive benefits of keeping your dear old brain ticking over!