Why 'grandparents are the glitter glue' for families across Australia
We learn the recipe for building a great relationship with your grandchildren right from the start.
This week on Prime Time, we’re celebrating Grandparents Day by exploring the evolving — and increasingly demanding — role of modern grandparents. It’s one of my favourite shows in the podcast yet.
I’m joined by one of Australia’s most trusted psychologists, Dr Michael Carr-Gregg. He’s a leading expert on families, mental health and modern parenting — and he says that grandparents are the “glitter glue” holding many Australian families together.
Whether you’re new to grandparenting or deep in the trenches, this conversation explores how the role has evolved, how to build strong relationships with your grandkids from the beginning, and how to navigate the emotional complexity that can come with it.
Dr Carr-Gregg’s most recent book, Grandparents: A Practical Guide to Navigating Grandparenting Today, is packed with invaluable insights. On the show, he shares the big lessons every modern grandparent needs to know.
This episode is packed with practical tips and fresh perspectives on making grandparenting a joyful, impactful, and fulfilling part of your Prime Time years. Don’t miss it!
LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE OF THE PODCAST HERE:
Highlights of the show:
The evolving role of grandparents in 2025: How longer lifespans and shifting family dynamics have changed the game.
Screen-based childhoods vs. play-based childhoods: How grandparents can step in to counterbalance the challenges of modern technology and create meaningful connections.
The power of rituals and storytelling: Passing down family history and values, and why this is more important than ever.
Building resilient grandkids: The two key psychology lessons grandparents can impart—positivity and resilience—and how to use teachable moments to shape strong, adaptable young minds.
Grandparenting and emotional regulation: How to adapt from being a parent to a grandparent and model the emotional skills kids need today.
The grandparenting code: What every grandparent needs to know to build a thriving, lifelong relationship with their grandchildren.
From pregnancy announcements to baby names: We also cover the crucial moments—like how to react to your child’s pregnancy announcement, why the name they choose matters, and the glitter glue role grandparents play in holding Australian families together.
Tune in now to discover how to embrace this remarkable role and become an amazing grandparent in today’s world.
From Bec’s Desk
Grandparents are pretty special people. And this week, it’s lovely to pause and pay them a bit of attention again. Maybe you are one, maybe you hope to become one — either way, it’s worth stopping to think about the kind of role you want to play as a parent to adult kids, and to any grandkids that come along.
Because this stage of life brings a fundamental shift in how our relationships work. Our kids are becoming adults now. We’re not the coaches anymore — we’re moving toward being peers, mentors, and allies. That can be a beautiful, liberating change if we lean into it with the right mindset.
I talk about this transformation — and how to navigate it with grace, humour, and purpose — in my new book Prime Time: 27 Lessons for the New Midlife. It’s all about how to thrive in the second half of life: in our relationships, our health, our work, and our sense of purpose.
If this idea resonates with you, you’ll love the chapters on family in Prime Time. It’s available now wherever you get your books. And it’s still a bestseller!
Many thanks! Bec Wilson
Author, podcaster, guest speaker, retirement educator … Visit my website for more info about me, here
His first podcast with Bec was gold ….. so, I bought his book (more gold) …. Well done again Bec !