Post 7 Family and Relationships
- bobchuckpatterson
- Sep 4
- 2 min read
Retirement and Relationships gives us space for making time for What Matters Most
Are you still wondering what to do in retirement after exploring the first six posts in this series?
Maybe it’s time to turn your attention to one of the most rewarding areas of life, family and relationships. Retirement offers the freedom to invest more deeply in the people you love. For many, that means spending more time with grandchildren.
I have two friends who do just that, one watches the grandkids three days a week, the other five. Both absolutely love it. They’ve worked out clear understandings with their adult children that vacations are sacred time, and during those breaks, someone else handles childcare.
Sometimes retirement brings unexpected roles, like caregiving for an aging parent. While it’s not something most plan for, it can be a meaningful way to help loved ones remain at home.
Other retirees dive into genealogy and family history. My father-in-law was home for just two weeks after retiring before my mother-in-law sent him off with a memorable line: “I married you for better or worse, but not for lunch.”
That “eviction” launched a 30-year passion for family research, making him an expert on the Mohawk Valley and tracing his ancestry back to nearly 900 AD. You might also organize family reunions or trips.
A friend’s family rents a 10-bedroom house on Myrtle Beach every summer for two weeks. Each branch of the family takes turns cooking, and the rest of the time is spent enjoying group or individual activities.
Don’t overlook the power of sharing your stories. Writing letters, compiling life experiences, or recording tales from your youth and from older relatives creates a priceless gift for future generations.
These stories connect the past to the present in ways photographs alone cannot.
Retirement isn’t just about how you spend your time, it’s about who you spend it with.
Strengthening family bonds, preserving history, and creating shared experiences can make this stage of life richer and more meaningful than ever. In the final post of this series, we’ll explore personal and financial planning. The essential foundation for making all your retirement dreams possible.