Welcome to GaGa Sisterhood

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Guide For Grandmas

When Being a Grandma Isn't So Grand - Author Donne Davis

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Whether you’re a brand-new grandma, a seasoned grandma, or a grandma-at-heart, you’ve come to the right place. The GaGa Sisterhood has a wealth of resources for grandmas who are totally “gaga” for their grandchildren.

As the founder of the GaGa Sisterhood, I’ve been curating resources for grandmas since I first became one in 2003. I know firsthand how complicated the role can be. When you and your grandchild’s parents begin the exciting journey of welcoming this precious new being into the family, your lives will be forever changed.

You will experience the highest highs and possibly the lowest lows as you grow into your title of “Grandma” or “Nana” or “Noni” or a host of other grandma names. Whether you’re “Kiki” or “Baba,” (my grandma name,) choosing your grandma moniker may be your first big decision.

The content on this website includes twenty years of blog posts that offer advice on how to begin this exciting new relationship, book recommendations, ways to stay connected with your grandchildren, long-distance grandparenting advice, self-care and much more.

Be sure to click on our Resources page, where you’ll find links to our favorite grandparent websites. On our Press page, you’ll find links to podcasts and articles featuring my conversations with hosts about the ins and outs of being a grandma.

How Ga Ga Sisterhood Was Born

History of GaGa Sisterhood

Idea grew out of passion for becoming a grandma

My idea for GaGa Sisterhood grew out of my passion for becoming a grandma after witnessing the birth of my first grandchild, Juliet on April 26, 2003.

Immediately, I wanted to find kindred sisters who shared my enthusiasm, and boy did I! So many grandmas have graced my life over 20 years — it’s hard to quantify.
For two decades GaGa Sisterhood was a growing national membership organization. The organization provided “gaga” grandmas a place to bond, brag, and benefit.

Contact Me

Contact me if you need an article on grandparenting, a guest on your podcast or a speaker for your organization.

For more than twenty years, I’ve been writing and speaking on the joys and challenges of modern grandparents as well as the importance of rituals and traditions for families.

Drop a note to me on the Contact Form.

Over the Years

From our first meeting on December 7, 2003 to our last farewell meeting on December 7, 2023, grandmas have shared their stories and touched my heart.

For two decades, the GaGa Sisterhood has always been a labor of love for me. I produced regular blog posts and newsletters for our growing audience of grandmas. Over the years, the format of the group evolved but my mission remained firm — to inspire grandmas to keep growing and learning along with our children and grandchildren.

Since COVID, it became more laborious trying to juggle two almost disparate groups — our original local Silicon Valley grandmas and our newer online community from all over the U.S. (sometimes even Australia) The other difference was the age of our grandchildren. Lots of our members felt they’ve “aged out” because their grandchildren were teenagers and older. Finding speakers and topics that appealed to all ages became more challenging.

As I faced these challenges, I realized it was time for me to step down from hosting regular meetings and bid farewell to our GaGa Sisterhood members.

20 years -December 7, 2003 to December 7, 2023

On December 7, 2023, our GaGa Sisterhood members met for our last formal meeting. While there will be some small, local franchised GaGa Sisterhood groups who will continue to meet in their local neighborhoods, we are no longer continuing GaGa Sisterhood as a national online membership organization.

Going forward

Many ask me what’s next? I’ll continue to enjoy my three precious grandchildren and family. I’ll write articles and do some speaking on some of my favorite topics — the joys and challenges of modern grandparenting and rituals and traditions. I’m available for podcasts, panels, and public speaking opportunities.

Contact me if you or your organization needs a speaker. I look forward to staying in touch.  Drop a note to me on our Contact Form.

GaGa Sisterhood Resources

Link to Blog- 20 years of blog posts to inspire grandmas to keep growing and learning

Link to Resources - GaGa Sisterhood’s favorite grandparent websites

Link to Media and Press Clippings - links to podcasts and articles featuring me and the GaGa Sisterhood

Ask GaGa - send a note to connect

Visit GaGa Sisterhood Blog

20 years of posts about topics grandmas need to know

Our Blog contains 20 years of grandparent-focused content. Below are excerpts from some random posts published during the past 20 years. Click on the excerpt link to read the entire post. Also, you can search all the posts by Topic, when you visit our Blog Page.

Reporting for Doodie: A Grandma’s Tour of Duty

By Donne Davis | March 18, 2010

J.L. (Judy) Smith became the sole caregiver for her three-year old grandson, Marcus, when his mom and dad were both deployed in the U.S. Military. Smith’s tour of “doodie” was six months, one week, three days, and seven hours long. Reporting for Doodie is her humorous, honest, poignant, and irreverent account of that period.

Read More »

Take a Child Outside Week

By Donne Davis | September 23, 2009

Take a Child Outside Week is a national program to help children understand and appreciate the environment, and build enthusiasm for its exploration.

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Grandparents Need to Respect Parents’ Food Choices

By Donne Davis | April 5, 2011

Many grandparents are in a quandary about their role in the lives of their grandchildren. The days are long gone when grandparents were the source of all knowledge.

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Grandma Amelia’s Stewed Fruit

By Donne Davis | August 7, 2008

On a recent trip to the Farmers Market I sampled a perfectly ripe peach, and a flood of memories came back. Suddenly, I had a craving for the “stewed” fruit my grandma used to make.

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Nurture Your Grandchild’s Imagination

By Donne Davis | February 20, 2014

By nurturing your grandchild’s imagination, you can play an important role in helping him become adept at solving problems, facing challenges and building his self-esteem.

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Reading Is Going to the Dogs

By Donne Davis | March 15, 2011

Dogs have a calming and soothing effect on people. Reading to animals, who are inherently nonjudgmental, is a good way to promote this type of oral reading practice.

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Top 10 Posts of 2020

By Donne Davis | January 11, 2021

As we begin 2021, my wish for you is a healthy and hopeful new year. But before we move forward, I’m taking a look backward to share the most popular posts in 2020.

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How it feels to be a long distance grandparent

By Donne Davis | December 21, 2023

Long-distance grandparenting can be emotionally complex. You will likely need to work harder to nurture the relationship with your grandchild.

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The Clintons Embrace Their Role as Grandparents

By Donne Davis | September 29, 2014

I’m excited for Hilary and Bill Clinton. It’s going to be so much fun to watch them as they embrace their new role as grandparents.

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How to Conquer Clutter

By Donne Davis | March 28, 2022

Clutter can cause stress, anxiety, and exhaustion. Sometimes our possessions hold us back and we don’t even realize. When we let go of them, it’s amazing how much lighter, clearer, and less encumbered we feel.

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Kids Are Safer with Grandma Behind the Wheel

By Donne Davis | July 20, 2011

A new study published in the Journal of Pediatrics shows kids are twice as safe when their grandparents are behind the wheel instead of their parents.

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GaGa Sisterhood in Top 10 Grandparent Websites

By Donne Davis | September 16, 2013

The GaGa Sisterhood has been recognized as one of the top 10 websites for grandparents in 2013 by GRAND Magazine.

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Adapting to Our Changing Thanksgiving Traditions

By Donne Davis | November 24, 2014

Our Thanksgiving traditions are changing and we need to adapt. Families move, relationships change, beliefs change, our loved ones pass on and we need to learn to be flexible.

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Managing Expectations in the Grandparent Relationship

By Donne Davis | October 28, 2021

Expectations in the new grandparent relationship are one of the most important conversations to have with the new parents and ideally before they become parents.

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Have a Happy, Safe and Unleaded Halloween

By Donne Davis | October 29, 2009

I hate to be the ogre in your Halloween festivities – The Center for Health, Environment & Justice has a scary Halloween warning: face paint and masks contain harmful chemicals

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Why Don’t Our Children Ask Us for Advice on Parenting?

By Donne Davis | June 19, 2017

One of the most common challenges I hear from grandmas is that their children don’t value their parenting experience and trust the Internet more than their parents.

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Enjoy Every Sandwich Teaches Gratitude for Life

By Donne Davis | February 3, 2012

When Dr. Lee Lipsenthal was diagnosed with esophageal cancer, he wrote his thoughts about healing the fear of death. In this book, Lipsenthal shared his journey of transcending his fear.

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Yoga Is Beneficial for Grandmas

By Donne Davis | July 12, 2022

Yoga for women over 60 has a variety of positive benefits for the mind, body and soul. Grandmas can gain more flexibility to play with their grandchildren.

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Coping with Feelings of Being Unappreciated

By Donne Davis | July 8, 2013

It’s important for grandmas to show appreciation to the parents of their grandchildren. But many grandmas complain they don’t feel appreciated for all they do for their families.

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May 15 GaGa Sisterhood Meeting Features Author Paola Gianturco

By Donne Davis | May 9, 2022

At our May 15 Zoom meeting, Paola Gianturco will share stories from “COOL: Women Leaders Reversing Global Warming” and suggest ways we and our grandchildren can create a Family Climate Action Plan. All grandmas are welcome to attend our Zoom meeting from 2 – 4 pm PDT.

Read More »

Testimonals

“I wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed yesterday’s meeting, my first. What a lovely, dynamic bunch of women!”… Susan

“Thank you so much for the wonderful opportunity to join the GaGa sisterhood. I really enjoyed everyone and the common bond we all share in our own way as Grandmothers. It is surely a great group of women and I loved how open hearted everyone was, I felt very much at home”… Mary Beth

“I get many newsletters. By far, I’d say yours is one of the most interesting and useful” … Helga

“Usually I avoid groups, but the GaGa Sisterhood is very special and I enjoy the meetings, the subjects, and the other grandmas tremendously. Thank you for creating this group and keeping us going”… Carolyn

“Your Sisterhood organization information has been so helpful in preparing me for this unexpectedly rewarding time of life. Thank you” … Carolynn

“Thanks for sending the GaGazine. All of your tips and work are so valuable and fill such a need in uniting three generations”… Berna

“Your newsletter is consistently informative. I don’t know how you do it, but you write the best e-newsletters. I read every part of it. I am sorry that I missed this meeting, but your newsletter brought me up to date.  Thank you”… Carol

“Every meeting has offered something to take away with me ~ some little nugget of advice, some inspiration, a closer connection with another GaGa”… Susan

“You are in for lots of treats as our GaGa gatherings are always very enjoyable”… Kathleen

“After meeting all of you, I’ve been inspired by how you nurture your grandchildren and how GaGa Sisterhood is truly a place for us to be nurtured. You are a wonderful group of ladies and I am proud to have become a member”… Carol

“Your GaGazine is awesome!  Colorful, straightforward, and loaded with information”… Len

“The GaGazine is a real winner!”… Joyce

“You always produce an enjoyable must read. I look forward to every new issue. Keep up the Grand work!”… Christine

“I really had a transformative experience this afternoon! I came home and described the meeting in detail to my husband who was very interested and so pleased that I had this opportunity. The women were so open, and willing to share their experiences and caring attitudes! I will definitely join the group and hope to eventually bring some friends along too!”….Sue

“Thank you for being the very special, loving and caring person that you are. You are so generous to share your natural talents as our leader, to be better grandparents and people. We continue to learn much in many ways...from the speakers you bring to us, by the friendships and commonalities, to the fun and laughs, and even tears we share.  It is truly the very best, because of you. Thank you, thank you, thank you, dear Donne”…. Carol

“You plan such lovely meetings for all of us. I have developed two new friendships from our group, for which I will be ever grateful”… Bev

“What a wonderful GaGa Sisterhood meeting! The way you organized it worked so well and the questions really generated discussion in a most meaningful way. Hats off to you for figuring out how to make it work!”… Marcia

“The GaGa Sisterhood provides not only a place to brag, bond and benefit, but also a place for support, sharing and just plain silliness as we explore who we are as active, involved and evolving grandmothers”… Susan

“I feel very fortunate to have discovered GaGa Sisterhood while visiting my daughter who recently moved to California from the East Coast where I live. I’ve attended just a couple of meetings so far but those meetings and the women I’ve met there have helped me feel more at home at “my home away from home”. Because of this, I am trying to time my future visits to the West Coast, whenever possible, to match the bi-monthly GaGa Sisterhood meetings”… Marcia

“I love the speakers who present at our GaGa Sisterhood meetings.  They are always the highest caliber professionals and they always have something really interesting to say”… Carol

“I really enjoy meeting with this group of women. They are far more informed than the grandma’s of yesteryear. Moreover, they are willing to open up, share, and be enlightened by others. The group of women is very eclectic–each woman has a unique and individual gift to bring to our circle.”… Lisa

“I enjoyed the meeting today. It felt like a comfortable, supportive and fun place to be. Thanks for organizing this group. I think it is a good fit for me and I look forward to future get togethers”… Ricka

“Great meeting. Enjoyed it thoroughly. Very supportive and collegial. Thanks for creating such a warm environment”… Berna

“Thank you for an absolutely outstanding GaGa meeting this afternoon. I feel fortunate to be a part of this lovely group of women. It was an exceptional meeting and I appreciated how honest and genuine everyone was.”… Cheri

“I loved today’s GaGa meeting, it was enlightening and ever so much fun! I can’t wait until the next one in September. So glad I am now a part of this wonderful group of Grandmas!”… Carol

“I admire the way you run the meetings, how inclusive you are, and, mostly, the fact that you created this group out of a common life event–being a grandmother” .... Miriam

“What a treat to be able to share this amazing grandmother experience with those that ‘get it!’ Such a joy!”

"Being a part of The GaGa Sisterhood is such an incredible gift! I love the intellectual stimulation and the building of new relationships. I hope you understand what an incredible experience you're offering to so many of us. You truly are a blessing and I deeply appreciate all you do to make our meetings so meaningful"  .....  Kate

"Your newsletter has great information that's given me inspiration and wisdom on my journey as a grandparent." .... Diane

"Thank you for all you do for us. You enrich our lives and expand our minds" ... LH

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