The 15 Best Pieces Of Grandparenting Advice From Celebrities

The 15 Very Best Pieces Of Grandparenting Advice From Celebrities
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 26: (L-R) Television personality Sharon Osbourne, granddaughter Pearl Osbourne, and daughter-in-law Lisa Osbourne attend Disney Junior's 'Doc McStuffins' Doc Mobile tour at The Grove on September 26, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 26: (L-R) Television personality Sharon Osbourne, granddaughter Pearl Osbourne, and daughter-in-law Lisa Osbourne attend Disney Junior's 'Doc McStuffins' Doc Mobile tour at The Grove on September 26, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images)

SPECIAL FROM Grandparents.com

From Goldie Hawn to Prince Charles, these actors, politicians, and famous folks offer their best bits of wisdom for enjoying and appreciating family.

Goldie Hawn
John Shearer/Invision/AP
After capturing hearts with her ditsy schtick on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In in the late '60s, Hawn, 69, went on to star in dozens of movies over the decades, proving the mettle beneath her mirth, and learning the importance of hard work. Her advice for her five grandchildren on how to be successful, recently featured in Parents magazine:

“[I hope to teach them] to become as resilient as they can,” she added. “We all get knocked down, but the measure of the man is how fast you get up. And I think that’s what I’d really like to instill in the kids. We’re all going to fail, we’re all going to mess up, but it’s not as much about that as it is learning from your mistakes and getting up real fast.”
George W. Bush
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Two former U.S. presidents from rival political parties walk into an event... good-natured ribbing about grandparenthood ensues. As they sat on the podium at a bipartisan educational event in September 2014, former President George W. Bush, 68, grandfather to 16-month-old Mila Hager, explained to former President Bill Clinton, who was about to become a grandfather, exactly how family dynamics change after the birth of the first grandchild, reports Latintimes.com:

"Get ready to fall completely in love again... Get ready to be like the lowest person in the pecking order in your family."
Marie Osmond
ASSOCIATED PRESS
A recent member of the grandparents club, singer-entertainer Marie Osmond, 55, welcomed grandson Stephen James Craig Jr. in December 2013. When asked by Grand Magazine what she wishes for her grandson’s future, Osmond had this to say:

“He’ll be a genius at whatever he decides to do. My children are all very eclectic. I have loved helping them find what they enjoy. My oldest son was on stage with me at four years old for the Sound of Music on Broadway; now he’s a financial analyst who speaks Chinese. Children should have all kinds of experiences and opportunities to help them make their choices in life.”
Prince Charles
ASSOCIATED PRESS
In recent interviews, Prince Charles, 66, Britain's heir to the throne, has shared his increasing urgency to leave a sustainable world for future generations, referring to his grandson, George, and soon-to-be-born new grandchild from son, William. As reported by Reuters.com, the Prince of Wales had this to say at an international conference on sustainable communities in Kentucky in March 2015, regarding our responsibility to our grandchildren:

"If we fail here, we fail humanity... As a grandfather, I have no intention of failing my, or anyone else's, grandchildren."
Martha Stewart
Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
If anyone knows how precious quality time can be, it's home & garden multimedia magnate and grandmother of two, Martha Stewart, 73. In our interview with Stewart, she sings the praises of doing simple activities with kids:

"I adore my two grandchildren and I try to make time, good time, to spend with them as often as I can. No matter what we’re doing, being with them is rejuvenating, energizing, enjoyable. Whether we’re gathering eggs from the chicken on my farm, playing games, or simply spending time together, their youth helps keep me young."
Tony Danza
Charles Sykes/Invision/AP
Can you believe this baby-faced 63-year-old has been a grandfather for almost 10 years? In a recent interview with Grandparents.com, Danza reflects on his No. 1 piece of advice for new grandparents:

"There are a lot more challenges for parents now. But it all goes back to showing [kids] how to be a good person. Keep them close to you. And make dinner together."And his advice for nine-year-old grandson, Nicholas David: "The only thing I would say is he has to finish school, be a college graduate. After that I would support anything."
Billy Crystal
Steve Rogers Photography via Getty Images
Funnyman and grandfather of four Billy Crystal, 67, has learned that good boundaries can actually bring the family closer together, he told Theguardian.com:

"You have to really respect what your kids are doing with their kids and how they're raising them. You can't push your way into areas where you shouldn't be saying anything. You have to always remember they're not your own kids. Play with them, love them, spoil them to death – then hand them back."
Sharon Osbourne
Katy Winn/Invision/AP
Actor, talk show host, and wife of infamous rocker Ozzy Osbourne, Sharon Osbourne, 62, takes clear delight in the privilege of being grandma to granddaughter Pearl, who was born April 2012. When asked by Hello! magazine whether she considers herself a "cool" grandmother, Osbourne describes, in typically impish fashion, her simple secret to making memories that count:

"I am the typical grandmother that does everything that you shouldn't. I spoil her, I let her stay up all night she can do whatever she wants so I am the stereotypical grandmother and she loves it. We have a sign up at my house that says 'What goes on at grandma's, stays at grandma's,' so we never talk about the things we get up to."
Tom Hanks
Jon Furniss/Invision/AP
Tom Hanks is no fool. In an interview on Entertainment Tonight, the 58-year-old actor dishes on exactly what's so great about being the grandparent to his young granddaughters, rather than the parent:

“I get to do the thing of come in and have a great time for a few hours or maybe overnight, on occasion. But hey it’s almost like parenthood fantasy camp: You have all the fun without any of the long nights.”
Cloris Leachman
Omar Vega/Invision/AP
At age 88, Cloris Leachman is still a spitfire—and hopes to instill her sense of adventure in her six grandkids and one great-grandson.

On the legacy she wants to leave her grandchildren: "The freedom to explore life as I was able to explore it. Live your life without fear."
Jane Seymour
Rob Latour/Invision/AP
In an interview with Grandparents.com, the actress shared her views on when to bite your tongue around your adult kids:

"As grandparents, we've been down the road before, and we can see potential issues and problems when it comes to the grandchildren. We have to know when to step in or not. I think the most important thing grandparents can do when it comes to our adult children is listen to them and hear what they are saying. We might not agree, but every person wants to be listened to. Hear what they have to say, then give it a break. Go to the bathroom or make a cup of coffee, then come back and say, 'I was thinking about what you said and I might...' then give your advice."
Rudolph Giuliani
Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
The former Mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001, Rudolph Giuliani is known for taking a tough stance on crime—and a very soft-hearted approach with his grandkids:

"What children need most are the essentials that grandparents provide in abundance. They give unconditional love, kindness, patience, humor, comfort, lessons in life. And, most importantly, cookies."
Nancy Pelosi
ASSOCIATED PRESS
For 27 years, Nancy Pelosi, 66, has served in the House of Representatives for California, and has the distinction of being the 60th (and only female) Speaker of the House from 2007 to 2011. So what advice does this dynamic, ground-breaking politician have for young people, like her six grandchildren? In an interview with Grandparents.com, she said:

"I encourage grandparents and parents to instill the value and importance of education in their grandchildren. The advice I always give to young people who are interested in politics is this: just run. Run for student government, run for local office, run for higher office. With a commitment to education and participation, the opportunities are endless."
Suzanne Somers
Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP
A devotee of healthful living since her tenure as lovable goof, Chrissy, on Three's Company, Suzanne Somers, 68, first dedicated herself to fitness (Thighmaster, anyone?), and then to a fully organic lifestyle. In an interview on Grandparents.com, we asked what her six grandkids could learn from spending time in her kitchen:

"That food is not just fuel, but should be an enjoyable — even hedonistic — experience. Because I grow most of my vegetables in my organic garden, they see how the garden works and how much fun it is. Then when we sit down to eat our harvest, I ask them to think of what it took to get this food to the table."
Mary Higgins Clark
Dan Hallman/Invision/AP
She may write about murder and mayhem, but Mary Higgins Clark has a lot of sunshine to spread. When asked what she hoped to teach her grandkids in an interview on Grandparents.com, she had this to say:

"I have six grandchildren, and my husband now has 11, so between the two of us, we have 17! What I hope they’ll learn from me is to always be kind. I want them to avoid being involved in petty quarrels, and focus on the things that truly matter. No matter who someone is, what job they do, I want my grandchildren to know that they need to be equally kind."

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