Dear Grandchild: A Book From Grandma

Children aged 3–5 form their earliest sense of self through the eyes of the people who love them most. Dr. Daniel Siegel's research on interpersonal neurobiology shows that when a child hears their specific qualities named aloud — "you are curious and brave and kind" — neural pathways for self-worth literally strengthen. A grandparent's voice carries unique authority: warm, unhurried, and unconditional in a way that differs from a parent's daily instruction.

The letter format is developmentally powerful precisely because it is addressed directly to the child. A 2019 University of Michigan study on shared reading found that first-person direct address increases a child's emotional engagement and recall compared to third-person narrative. Reading "I love the sound of your laugh" feels categorically different from hearing about a character's grandma — the child becomes the story's subject, not its observer.

The moon motif on page 15 is more than poetry — it is a proven co-regulation tool. Child therapist Susan Stiffelman recommends concrete shared-object anchors to help young children manage physical separation. When Grandma says "I am looking at it too," she transforms a nightly, universal experience into a private bridge between two people. Parents report that children spontaneously look for the moon after reading this book — a tiny, beautiful act of connection.