Written with warmth， wit， and wisdom， this straightforward guide to grandmothering is based on the principles all grandmothers need to know. The new grandmother in our society is rarely an elderly lady who has acquired a lifetime of experience and is ready to pass her knowledge on to the next generation. Indeed， basic grandmothering skills are rapidly disappearing. To fill the gap， Suzette Haden Elgin， a grandmother of ten， has written this down-to-earth， compellingly readable book to give grandmothers of all ages and experience a guide to basic grandmothering skills， an invaluable reference， and great comfort. Guided by the Grandmother Principlescommonsense aphorisms ranging from "The grandmother way is the easy way" to "Grandmothers already have tenure"Elgin covers all aspects of grandmothering. Among the many topics addressed are mediating family arguments， coping with emergencies， getting family members to do things they are afraid or unwilling to do， and assembling a family history. Whether you re a traditional granny whose grandchildren live down the block or an ultramodern grandmother who keeps in touch with the grandkids via e-mail， The Grandmother Principles is so inspiring and filled with so much indispensable information and advice that any grandmother will want to keep it close at hand at all times. Illustrated with delightful cartoons that underscore the joys and challenges of grandmotherhood， it makes the perfect gift for grandmothers to receive from their children， grandchildren， and other family members， or to give to themselves. 35 black-and-white illustrations