Welcome to GaGa Sisterhood

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Guide For Grandmas

When Being A Grandma Isn't So Grand

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Whether you’re a brand new grandma, a seasoned grandma or a grandma-at-heart, you’ve come to the right place. The GaGa Sisterhood has a wealth of resources for grandmas who are totally “gaga” for their grandchildren.

As the founder of the GaGa Sisterhood, I’ve been curating resources for grandmas since I first became one in 2003. I know firsthand how complicated the role can be. When you and your grandchild’s parents begin the exciting journey of welcoming this precious new being into the family, your lives will be forever changed.

You will experience the highest highs and possibly the lowest lows as you grow into your title of “Grandma” or “Nana” or “Noni” or a host of other grandma names. Whether you’re “Kiki” or “Baba,” (my grandma name,) choosing your grandma moniker may be your first big decision.

The content on this website includes twenty years of blog posts that offer advice on how to begin this exciting new relationship, book recommendations, ways to stay connected with your grandchildren, long-distance grandparenting advice, self-care and much more.

Be sure to click on our Resources page, where you’ll find links to our favorite grandparent websites. On our Press page, you’ll find links to podcasts and articles featuring my conversations with hosts about the ins and outs of being a grandma.

How GaGa Sisterhood Was Born

History of GaGa Sisterhood

Idea grew out of passion for becoming a grandma

My idea for GaGa Sisterhood grew out of my passion for becoming a grandma after witnessing the birth of my first grandchild, Juliet on April 26, 2003.

Immediately, I wanted to find kindred sisters who shared my enthusiasm, and boy did I! So many grandmas have graced my life over 20 years — it’s hard to quantify.
For two decades GaGa Sisterhood was a growing national membership organization. The organization provided “gaga” grandmas a place to bond, brag, and benefit.

Contact Me

Contact me if you need an article on grandparenting, a guest on your podcast or a speaker for your organization.

For more than twenty years, I’ve been writing and speaking on the joys and challenges of modern grandparents as well as the importance of rituals and traditions for families.

Drop a note to me on the Contact Form.

Over the years

From our first meeting on December 7, 2003 to our last farewell meeting on December 7, 2023, grandmas have shared their stories and touched my heart.

For two decades, the GaGa Sisterhood has always been a labor of love for me. I produced regular blog posts and newsletters for our growing audience of grandmas. Over the years, the format of the group evolved but my mission remained firm — to inspire grandmas to keep growing and learning along with our children and grandchildren.

Since COVID, it became more laborious trying to juggle two almost disparate groups — our original local Silicon Valley grandmas and our newer online community from all over the U.S. (sometimes even Australia) The other difference was the age of our grandchildren. Lots of our members felt they’ve “aged out” because their grandchildren were teenagers and older. Finding speakers and topics that appealed to all ages became more challenging.

As I faced these challenges, I realized it was time for me to step down from hosting regular meetings and bid farewell to our GaGa Sisterhood members.

20 years -December 7, 2003 to December 7, 2023

On December 7, 2023, our GaGa Sisterhood members met for our last formal meeting. While there will be some small, local franchised GaGa Sisterhood groups who will continue to meet in their local neighborhoods, we are no long continuing GaGa Sisterhood as a national online membership organization.

Going forward

Many ask me what’s next? I’ll continue to enjoy my three precious grandchildren and family. I’ll write articles and do some speaking on some of my favorite topics — the joys and challenges of modern grandparenting and rituals and traditions. I’m available for podcasts, panels and public speaking opportunities.

Contact me if you or your organization needs a speaker. I look forward to staying in touch.  Drop a note to me on our Contact Form.

GaGa Sisterhood Resources

Link to Blog- 20 years of blog posts to inspire grandmas to keep growing and learning

Link to Resources- GaGa Sisterhood’s favorite grandparent websites

Link to Media and Press Clippings - links to podcasts and articles featuring me and the GaGa Sisterhood

Ask GaGa - send a note to connect

Visit GaGa Sisterhood Blog

20 years of posts about topics grandmas need to know

Our Blog contains 20 years of grandparent focused content. Excerpts from some random posts published during the past 20 years appear below. Click on the excerpt link to read the entire post. Also you can search all the posts by Topic, when you visit our Blog Page.

Grandparents and Grandchildren Share a Common Ally

By Donne Davis | January 21, 2013

Your relationship with your grandchild is embedded in the relationship with your adult child and his spouse. They’re the gatekeepers to a successful relationship with your grandchildren.

Read More »

Create Family New Year’s Resolutions

By Donne Davis | December 27, 2018

Make New Year’s resolutions for your family by reflecting on the past year and thinking about the year to come. This conscious effort communicates a special kind of love to your family members.

Read More »

Talk to Your Grandchildren About Their Feelings

By Donne Davis | August 29, 2019

As grandparents, we can help our grandchildren develop the skills to express their feelings by encouraging them to talk about their feelings when they have them.

Read More »

Cold Weather Activities For Children

By Donne Davis | December 23, 2010

I just read about a fun winter activity to do with your grandchildren—track the temperature where you live. The idea comes from Rebecca Cohen, founder of Rebecca Plants.

Read More »

For the Love of Aimee

By Donne Davis | February 8, 2011

For the Love of Aimee is the story of a grandma who not only made a difference in her granddaughter’s life but made a difference in the lives of all children with special needs.

Read More »

Boost Your Self-Esteem – Tell Yourself You’re Awesome

By Donne Davis | June 19, 2013

Why are we so hard on ourselves instead of having high self-esteem like our young grandchildren? We need to realize that our Inner Critic is a Big Fat Liar.

Read More »

Cranberry Pie Recipe is Foolproof

By Donne Davis | December 24, 2009

If you’re looking for a sure-fire, easy to fix dessert for your holiday parties, this Cranberry Pie recipe is foolproof. I love anything with cranberries in it. That sweet-tart flavor of cranberries is pure bliss in cakes, crisps, cookies, even granola. It has the texture of a shortbread.

Read More »

Therapeutic Journaling Helps Achieve Perfect Health

By Donne Davis | May 3, 2011

Writing in a journal can be good therapy for your body, mind, and spirit. I started writing my first journal in 1977 and now I’m on my 51st volume. When I discovered Mari McCarthy’s Journaling for the Health of It, I invited her to write a guest post.Mari is a Journaling Therapy Specialist and founder of […]

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6 Tips to Make Your Kids Eat Healthy

By Donne Davis | October 5, 2010

It isn’t easy to make your kids eat healthy these days. Tanya Wenman Steel, author of Real Food for Healthy Kids, offers parents tips for developing healthy eating habits.

Read More »

Bring the Halloween Phantom to Your Neighborhood

By Donne Davis | October 2, 2008

I was walking in a neighborhood when I noticed a flyer on all the front doors with a poem about the “Halloween Phantom” who secretly drops goodies at neighbor’s houses.

Read More »

Getting Along with Your Grandchild’s Parents

By Donne Davis | August 8, 2012

The biggest challenge for grandparents is getting along with their grandchild’s parents. Strong personalities can create conflicts between grandparents and their adult children.

Read More »

The Life Organizer Makes Room for Chaos and Interruption

By Donne Davis | February 11, 2014

The Life Organizer by Jennifer Louden is a feminine, heart-based approach to life planning that allows for chaos and interruption without needing to know the “big picture.”

Read More »

How to Announce Your Pregnancy to Grandparents

By Donne Davis | October 9, 2014

A reader sent me this cute You Tube video of a “Surprise Baby Announcement” for the new grandparents to be. It’s the most creative one I’ve ever seen.

Read More »

The Ultimate Grandparenting Tool-Club Eimmie

By Donne Davis | May 20, 2019

How do you connect with your grandkids and be a positive influence, be looked up to, love and be loved and give gifts that inspire imagination through creative play? Check out Club Eimmie.

Read More »

What Your Grandchildren Really Want This Holiday Season

By Donne Davis | November 2, 2016

If you struggle with what to get the grandchildren for holiday gifts, give them a subscription to one of Cricket’s Bug Magazines: Babybug, Ladybug, Spider, Cricket or Cicada.

Read More »

Stop, Look, and Listen Helps Grandmas Practice Empathy

By Donne Davis | January 2, 2013

Remember when you were first learning to cross the street? Our moms told us to STOP, LOOK, and LISTEN. Those three words will also get us into the right mindset for showing empathy.

Read More »

Lessons Learned from Parenting Adult Children

By Donne Davis | March 30, 2020

By sharing our stories at our GaGa Sisterhood meeting, we learned some valuable strategies for parenting our adult children who are now parents themselves.

Read More »

Raising Bilingual Children: Benefit or Concern?

By Donne Davis | August 20, 2010

According to the American Speech and Language Association, most children have the capacity to learn two or more languages. If a child has a speech or language problem, it will show up in both languages. However, these problems are not caused by learning two languages.

Read More »

Interview with Elaine Williams on Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

By Donne Davis | May 15, 2013

I interviewed Elaine K. Williams about her book “The Sacred Work of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren” because of her insight, empathy, and understanding of this growing trend.

Read More »

Help Your Grandchild Enjoy Nature

By Donne Davis | July 15, 2009

Grandparents can help grandchildren enjoy nature with resources and activities suggested on Green Hour’s website

Read More »

Testimonials

“I wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed yesterday’s meeting, my first. What a lovely, dynamic bunch of women!”… Susan

“Thank you so much for the wonderful opportunity to join the GaGa sisterhood. I really enjoyed everyone and the common bond we all share in our own way as Grandmothers. It is surely a great group of women and I loved how open hearted everyone was, I felt very much at home”… Mary Beth

“I get many newsletters. By far, I’d say yours is one of the most interesting and useful” … Helga

“Usually I avoid groups, but the GaGa Sisterhood is very special and I enjoy the meetings, the subjects, and the other grandmas tremendously. Thank you for creating this group and keeping us going”… Carolyn

“Your Sisterhood organization information has been so helpful in preparing me for this unexpectedly rewarding time of life. Thank you” … Carolynn

“Thanks for sending the GaGazine. All of your tips and work are so valuable and fill such a need in uniting three generations”… Berna

“Your newsletter is consistently informative. I don’t know how you do it, but you write the best e-newsletters. I read every part of it. I am sorry that I missed this meeting, but your newsletter brought me up to date.  Thank you”… Carol

“Every meeting has offered something to take away with me ~ some little nugget of advice, some inspiration, a closer connection with another GaGa”… Susan

“You are in for lots of treats as our GaGa gatherings are always very enjoyable”… Kathleen

“After meeting all of you, I’ve been inspired by how you nurture your grandchildren and how GaGa Sisterhood is truly a place for us to be nurtured. You are a wonderful group of ladies and I am proud to have become a member”… Carol

“Your GaGazine is awesome!  Colorful, straightforward, and loaded with information”… Len

“The GaGazine is a real winner!”… Joyce

“You always produce an enjoyable must read. I look forward to every new issue. Keep up the Grand work!”… Christine

“I really had a transformative experience this afternoon! I came home and described the meeting in detail to my husband who was very interested and so pleased that I had this opportunity. The women were so open, and willing to share their experiences and caring attitudes! I will definitely join the group and hope to eventually bring some friends along too!”….Sue

“Thank you for being the very special, loving and caring person that you are. You are so generous to share your natural talents as our leader, to be better grandparents and people. We continue to learn much in many ways...from the speakers you bring to us, by the friendships and commonalities, to the fun and laughs, and even tears we share.  It is truly the very best, because of you. Thank you, thank you, thank you, dear Donne”…. Carol

“You plan such lovely meetings for all of us. I have developed two new friendships from our group, for which I will be ever grateful”… Bev

“What a wonderful GaGa Sisterhood meeting! The way you organized it worked so well and the questions really generated discussion in a most meaningful way. Hats off to you for figuring out how to make it work!”… Marcia

“The GaGa Sisterhood provides not only a place to brag, bond and benefit, but also a place for support, sharing and just plain silliness as we explore who we are as active, involved and evolving grandmothers”… Susan

“I feel very fortunate to have discovered GaGa Sisterhood while visiting my daughter who recently moved to California from the East Coast where I live. I’ve attended just a couple of meetings so far but those meetings and the women I’ve met there have helped me feel more at home at “my home away from home”. Because of this, I am trying to time my future visits to the West Coast, whenever possible, to match the bi-monthly GaGa Sisterhood meetings”… Marcia

“I love the speakers who present at our GaGa Sisterhood meetings.  They are always the highest caliber professionals and they always have something really interesting to say”… Carol

“I really enjoy meeting with this group of women. They are far more informed than the grandma’s of yesteryear. Moreover, they are willing to open up, share, and be enlightened by others. The group of women is very eclectic–each woman has a unique and individual gift to bring to our circle.”… Lisa

“I enjoyed the meeting today. It felt like a comfortable, supportive and fun place to be. Thanks for organizing this group. I think it is a good fit for me and I look forward to future get togethers”… Ricka

“Great meeting. Enjoyed it thoroughly. Very supportive and collegial. Thanks for creating such a warm environment”… Berna

“Thank you for an absolutely outstanding GaGa meeting this afternoon. I feel fortunate to be a part of this lovely group of women. It was an exceptional meeting and I appreciated how honest and genuine everyone was.”… Cheri

“I loved today’s GaGa meeting, it was enlightening and ever so much fun! I can’t wait until the next one in September. So glad I am now a part of this wonderful group of Grandmas!”… Carol

“I admire the way you run the meetings, how inclusive you are, and, mostly, the fact that you created this group out of a common life event–being a grandmother” .... Miriam

“What a treat to be able to share this amazing grandmother experience with those that ‘get it!’ Such a joy!”

"Being a part of The GaGa Sisterhood is such an incredible gift! I love the intellectual stimulation and the building of new relationships. I hope you understand what an incredible experience you're offering to so many of us. You truly are a blessing and I deeply appreciate all you do to make our meetings so meaningful"  .....  Kate

"Your newsletter has great information that's given me inspiration and wisdom on my journey as a grandparent." .... Diane

"Thank you for all you do for us. You enrich our lives and expand our minds" ... LH

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