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The Cool Grandpa PodcastAuthor: Greg Payne
This podcast is about the relationship between Grandfathers and their Grandchildren. We focus on interesting stories to understand and grow our own relationships. This is the perfect podcast to understand how important the role of Grandfather is to the lives of the Grandchildren and Family in general. Language: en Genres: Kids & Family, Relationships, Society & Culture Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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An Understanding Heart For Grandparents EP - 254
Episode 254
Thursday, 19 February, 2026
🧠Episode Summary In this solo episode of The Cool Grandpa Podcast, I explore insights from Dan Miller's book An Understanding Heart and apply them to modern grandfatherhood. Greg shares three powerful themes—listening as a legacy skill, curiosity over correction, and emotional presence in a distracted world—along with personal stories and practical steps grandfathers can use today to deepen relationships with their grandchildren. đź‘‚ Listening as a Legacy Skill Listening isn't passive—it's an active gift that teaches empathy and builds lifelong connections. I reflect on the adults in my childhood who truly listened and how that shaped me to have an understanding heart. 🌉 Curiosity Over Correction Curiosity builds bridges; correction builds walls. I encourage grandfathers to ask reflective questions instead of jumping in with advice, especially with young children and teens. Show them that YOU offer them an understanding heart. 🧠Emotional Presence in a Distracted World Phones, schedules, and multitasking compete for attention—but presence is what grandchildren crave. I share stories of grandparents who modeled full presence and a powerful personal memory of a long road trip with my grandfather, who truly had an understanding heart. 🛠️ Practical Steps for Cool Grandpas Follow the 2:1 rule—listen twice as much as you speak Ask one curious question in every conversation Pause before giving advice and ask if advice is wanted Mirror emotions: "That sounds exciting" or "That sounds hard." Schedule intentional one-on-one time with each grandchild đź’ˇ Reflection Question What does your grandchild need from you right now—advice or understanding? 🚀 A Call to Action: đź‘´ For Grandfathers Practice listening without interrupting this week. Notice what you learn about your grandchildren's inner world. 👨‍👧 For Fathers Ask one curious question today that you've never asked before—and observe how your child responds. đź“š Resources Mentioned An Understanding Heart by Dan Miller, use this link to order this treasured book: https://www.48days.com/product/an-understanding-heart/ Here is the link to that amazing episode I had with my mentor, Dan Miller: https://cool-grandpa.us/2021/09/10/ep-48-growing-creativity-with-grandchildren/ Buy Me a Coffee by using this link: https://buymeacoffee.com/coolgrandpa Cool Grandpa merchandise store: https://cool-grandpa.us/shop/ You can watch this fun conversation on YouTube by using this link: https://youtu.be/B_ceCsH-zss Â
