Life Lessons and Parenting Advice from the New Generation

SONG [00:00:00]:
With every step, I walk in light. Fab over 50, shining by lights

Jen Hardy [00:00:16]:
So Grace, do you have any words of wisdom for people listening to the podcast out there that a lot of them have actually grandkids your age? So anything to encourage them?

Grace Pearson [00:00:27]:
Just don’t give up. Like, once you start something, stick to it because I cannot tell you how many times I have given up on stuff and just stopped. So make sure you stick to it and, like, persevere even when it’s hard

Jen Hardy [00:00:49]:
because yeah. Those are really, really good words of wisdom. Today, I have Grace with me, and Grace is a young author. And I was so excited because Grace asked me to help her with her publishing. And today, we officially got her book uploaded. Grace, you wanna introduce yourself and tell a little bit about you?

Grace Pearson [00:01:09]:
Hi. My name is Grace, and I’m writing as Mira Kaye Worker. And I am a child, and I like that.

Jen Hardy [00:01:18]:
There you go. Yeah. Because, you know, youth is good as we all know. So tell us a little how did you decide to write a book at your age? Because not a lot of people your age do that.

Grace Pearson [00:01:30]:
Well, I’ve always loved to tell stories and just write, and it was I started, like, really wanting to start writing when I was 10. And I wrote a comic for my dad, and I liked that. And then I sort of got, like, gradually more into novels, and this is my first novel that I’m publishing. So I’m so excited.

Jen Hardy [00:01:52]:
That is so cool. And I think, you know, this is it just it’s a good lesson for you out there. If you know younger people in your life and they wanna do big things, then it’s good to encourage people. Right? Because I’m I’m assuming that your family encouraged you on this. Yeah. So yeah. That’s good. So you also who illustrated your book?

Grace Pearson [00:02:12]:
I actually also illustrated my books. That is great. Book. Well yeah. So

Jen Hardy [00:02:20]:
So what would did you like better? Did you like illustrating or writing better?

Grace Pearson [00:02:25]:
It’s kinda equal, but I guess that I like writing better now that yeah. I just think I’m better at it, to be honest.

Jen Hardy [00:02:34]:
Yeah. I think I think it’s all good. Also, you did such a better job at the editing. It took me forever to edit, and you got yours done really quickly.

Grace Pearson [00:02:43]:
I did. I got it done in, like, a day.

Jen Hardy [00:02:45]:
Oh my gosh. So that was good. But that just I think if you start with less to edit, it goes faster. I had a lot to edit. Because I wrote my book in, like, 3 days. So Wow. It probably took longer than that Yeah. To get it down on paper.

Jen Hardy [00:02:57]:
So that’s good. So you wanna tell a little bit about your story and encourage people to, wanna go out and pick it up?

Grace Pearson [00:03:04]:
So it’s about this dragon named Armadillo, and he goes on and, like, he’s it starts off with him and his sisters, and his sisters

Jen Hardy [00:03:17]:
You’re in an untimely situation.

Grace Pearson [00:03:19]:
Yeah. It’s in an untimely situation. And it ends up with him being a slave for many years, and it’s just about that and, like, how he escapes and what happens in the following days. And it’s really cool.

Jen Hardy [00:03:38]:
That’s awesome. And so if you’ve got if you like store stories about dragons, or you have kids or grandkids that like them, I highly encourage you. We’ll have links in the show notes to the book and to Grace’s YouTube channel, because Grace also has a YouTube channel that has done phenomenally well more than most adults. Because I got to see, look at her analytics. And let me tell you about you guys. This girl has got a lot of talent. So you wanna tell a little bit about that too while we’re talking dragons?

Grace Pearson [00:04:07]:
So mainly on my YouTube channel, I sew and I draw, and I like to sew dragon plushes, which I have 3 videos about that, and I’d say they’re pretty good. Yeah. So you should go check that out.

Jen Hardy [00:04:23]:
Yeah. It’s really cool. Also, for those of you who don’t know, we used to say the word stuffed animal, and now the same thing is called a plush. So if you hear people saying plush or plushie, that’s what they’re talking about. So, words, they are a change in.

Grace Pearson [00:04:38]:
I like to, play with my friends and mainly just draw and write. That’s mainly what I do. And sometimes I’ll play with my family too. Like, we’ll play games like Monopoly and stuff like that.

Jen Hardy [00:04:52]:
Very cool. Yeah. We like games. We got to play a game with Grace tonight at dinner, so that was really cool. And, she has just been a really good friend of the family and just a genuinely nice person. And so, like I said, the link will be in the show notes. Where is your book for sale?

Grace Pearson [00:05:07]:
It’s on Amazon, and it’s called Tales of Talons. I don’t think we’ve mentioned that yet.

Jen Hardy [00:05:13]:
We have not mentioned that. That would be important for people

Grace Pearson [00:05:16]:
to know. So it’s called Tales of Talons, and it’s on Amazon. So you should go check

Jen Hardy [00:05:21]:
it out. And, Grace, who designed your book cover?

Grace Pearson [00:05:24]:
I designed my book cover.

Jen Hardy [00:05:27]:
She is a woman of many talents.

Grace Pearson [00:05:29]:
Yeah. I did most of the stuff for my book. You you just helped me, like, publish it and stuff like that.

Jen Hardy [00:05:36]:
But I did not do any of the work. It was strictly guidance for the words behind the scenes, not the words of the book at all, just Amazon. Because it it can be tricky if you don’t have someone help you navigate. Ask me how I know.

Grace Pearson [00:05:49]:
Yeah. My mom also helped me edit and revise it. So

Jen Hardy [00:05:53]:
yeah. Which is really good. Yeah. So for those of you out there who think I cannot write a book or I can’t what fill in the blank. Whatever your thing is, you can. Because Grace what how old were you when you started writing this book?

Grace Pearson [00:06:06]:
I started writing this book when I was 13.

Jen Hardy [00:06:09]:
And you’re? 13. There we go. Okay. So if Grace can write a book at 13 and publish it, you can do anything you want at the at the age that you are. So don’t let people tell you that you can’t. Because people would probably some people would tell Grace she can’t write a book and she’s too young to publish a book. She is not and neither are you. So Grace, do you have any words of wisdom for people listening to the podcast out there that a lot of them have actually grandkids your age? So anything to encourage them?

Grace Pearson [00:06:39]:
Just don’t give up. Like, once you start something, stick to it because I cannot tell you how many times I have given up on stuff and just stopped. So make sure you stick to it and, like, persevere even when it’s hard because

Jen Hardy [00:07:02]:
yeah. Those are really, really good words of wisdom. Okay. So Grace and I have Grace said, hey, I’m not fabulous over 50. So we’re trying to think of f words, and I said she’s ffftle 13, but that is not what she wants to be. So let’s see. We’re gonna we’re gonna brainstorm. Oh, thrilling.

Jen Hardy [00:07:24]:
There you go. Thrilling. It’s Thrilling 13. Yes. I like that. Because you are thrilling 13. This is thrilling stuff. Yeah.

Jen Hardy [00:07:31]:
The whole book publishing. It’s

Grace Pearson [00:07:32]:
Thrilling 13. We should make, like, a subchannel where it’s, like, throwing 13.

Jen Hardy [00:07:37]:
Because 13, you know, it can be a hard age. So it’s kinda like being over 50 can also be hard, And so that’s why we’re, like, throwing glitter at it and trying to make it fun. Yeah. And being 13 can be hard for, like, a diverse group of reasons.

SONG [00:07:51]:
Yes.

Jen Hardy [00:07:51]:
So we just make it thrilling and to focus on the thrilling parts. Yes. But probably you don’t want a whole lot of glitter like I have. So we’ll find other ways. Sequins. Sequins. You guys have, like, dragons and fantasy things and all these games and all this stuff. Yes.

Jen Hardy [00:08:06]:
Also, I gotta ask you a question. So we’re gonna be putting on cruises for our family is putting on cruises, and they’re reconnection cruises or connection cruises for grandparents and grandchildren. Parents are not invited. And so the grandparents are gonna learn how to play Minecraft, and the kids are gonna learn how to play board games because a lot of kids are playing

Grace Pearson [00:08:26]:
That’s awesome.

Jen Hardy [00:08:27]:
So they connect. So what do you what do you think? Do you think would you, like, do you think that’s a good idea?

Grace Pearson [00:08:31]:
That is a good idea. And I would love to join because I am a grandchild, in fact.

Jen Hardy [00:08:36]:
There you go. We should we should let your grandma know about it because I think it’s gonna be a lot of fun.

Grace Pearson [00:08:40]:
We’re gonna does sound like a lot of fun.

Jen Hardy [00:08:42]:
6 months from now. Oh my gosh. Right? Yeah. Going on a cruise. We’re gonna go to a park ride. Appearance. It’d be awesome. And you could bring your books? Yes.

Jen Hardy [00:08:51]:
Book signings.

SONG [00:08:53]:
Oh, yeah.

Grace Pearson [00:08:54]:
That sounds so fun.

Jen Hardy [00:08:55]:
Alright. Well, good. Well, if you’re listening, you gotta find out the details. We’ll have those in the show notes too because you’re a grandchild. So we had to talk Wait. But wait. There’s more. Here’s a here’s a good question because my own kids don’t wanna come on my show because it’s my their mom.

Jen Hardy [00:09:09]:
So if so let’s say that somebody’s out there and they are like an older mom like me or a grandma of teenagers, and teenagers go through. It’s a struggle that’s real. And I feel like it’s real way more than it used to be because, like, social media and Instagram and all that garbage. What is something that a mom or a grandma or or dad or grandpa, whatever, could but moms listen. So for their children to help them feel better through all this garbage that you guys have to go through. Do you have any ideas?

Grace Pearson [00:09:43]:
Well, make sure you pay attention to what they’re interested in, and try to do that and, like like, try to engage with them with their interests in the least cringe way possible because

Jen Hardy [00:09:57]:
yeah. So okay. So explain cringe just in case somebody doesn’t know.

Grace Pearson [00:10:00]:
Okay. So if you don’t know what cringe means, it means that it’s basically, like, bad or awkward or, like, embarrassing Okay. But, like, reversed where it’s like

Jen Hardy [00:10:13]:
Like it makes you go, ugh.

Grace Pearson [00:10:15]:
Yeah. Like Okay.

Jen Hardy [00:10:16]:
Like cringey. That’s cringing. Literally cringing. Okay. Okay. So can you give us I know this. I’m putting you on the spot. Like, examples.

Jen Hardy [00:10:23]:
Like

Grace Pearson [00:10:24]:
so if you let me think.

Jen Hardy [00:10:31]:
So I’ll ask you a specific question instead of just a random question. Okay. So a lot of times, you know, kids are out and they wanna play and they wanna do all these things, and then slowly they wanna spend more time in their room and they’re on their own. And there’s a there’s a healthy part of that, and then there’s a the kids in their room all day being kinda down part of that. So what what’s a good way for mom or grandma to engage with these kids to help them instead of saying, just get out of your room. Right? Yeah. Like, in a healthy way to make them feel wanted. Do you think a lot of kids I feel like a lot of teenagers don’t feel wanted.

Grace Pearson [00:11:04]:
So what you can do is without going into their room because you do not want to go into their room without their permission. So, like, if they have, like, a phone or something, text them and invite them to come out and do something that they enjoy with you. Like, I like to draw, and if I’ll be sitting in my room drawing, my like, I could like, for example, my dad could text me and say, hey, Grace. Do you wanna draw with me?

Jen Hardy [00:11:32]:
Hey. It’s Jen here. Just bopping in to say, that is not the answer I expected. Is it the answer you expected? Because that is not how it was when we were being raised. And I will just let you know that is not the kind of thing that my husband is keen on doing either. So I just wanted to pop in here and say, I love you, Grace. But I don’t think a lot of parents are gonna do that. But if you’re listening and it is something you do, I would love to hear from you.

Jen Hardy [00:11:59]:
Shoot me an email, Jen@jennhardy.net, and let me know what you think.

Grace Pearson [00:12:04]:
And I’d be like, sure. And I’ll come out and draw with him. Or or you when instead of saying, hey, can you come out and draw with me? Ask, hey, can I draw with you? And make sure it’s something that they really enjoy too. Because if it’s like, oh, yeah. Do you wanna just do this random thing that you’re not very interested in? Like, then it’s like, not really.

Jen Hardy [00:12:32]:
So So and and to do that, you have to know what they like to do. Yeah. So I think there’s a fine balance in asking questions and grilling people. Right? Yes. But I think keeping an open dialogue is really important. Yeah. So you know what they like to do. But seeing that’s something that I wouldn’t have thought of is texting them in their room.

Jen Hardy [00:12:54]:
Right? Because we always, like, go bang on the door. Mhmm. But in this era of people texting and doing all that, that probably feels better.

Grace Pearson [00:13:02]:
Yeah. Because, like, knocking on your door or just opening it is just like, why? It’s like, just I’m in here with the door shut for a reason, and texting me is better than coming and knocking on the door.

Jen Hardy [00:13:21]:
So there we go. So I learned something new today, and I bet you did too. So that is really good information. Now what if we text and we say, hey. You wanna come out? And you say, no. And then all day, every day, they say no. Then what do we do?

Grace Pearson [00:13:35]:
So for the 1st day, respect it. 2nd day, you can say something like why not or say something polite. Like, make sure you’re very polite. And if they just keep saying no, don’t give up. Just don’t because that’s sad. And, so, if they say no, you can respect it and ask them later. And if they keep saying no persistently, then maybe catch them before they go into their room. Like, if they’re, like, out in the kitchen eating or something, you could be like, hey.

Grace Pearson [00:14:22]:
Why don’t while you’re still in the kitchen, why don’t you come meet me at the table? I have paper and pencils, and we could draw together. And that’ll just make it a little harder for them to say no, and they might enjoy that.

Jen Hardy [00:14:35]:
And even if they say no, do you think even if they’re not in the mood to do it then, it would make them feel good to get that text though?

Grace Pearson [00:14:42]:
Yeah. Also, don’t take it personally because it’s probably nothing personal.

Jen Hardy [00:14:48]:
Yeah. Because teenagers are dealing with a lot. Yeah. And it’s a lot of stuff we don’t understand because it’s you know, it used to be that there was a generation difference. Right? But I feel like now it’s huge. Mhmm. Which is why I wanted to do this cruise thing. Because grandparents and grandkids, they’re on totally different worlds at this point.

Jen Hardy [00:15:06]:
Yeah. You know? So, yeah.

Grace Pearson [00:15:08]:
That’s Also, like, a lot has changed since, like oh, what’s 50 years ago? Like, the nineties? No. No. Not the nineties. The seventies, isn’t it? Yep. Oh, yeah. So a lot has changed because I remember, like, something like cassettes or, like, records. Mhmm. I don’t I have never seen one in my life.

Grace Pearson [00:15:31]:
I’ve heard of them.

Jen Hardy [00:15:32]:
But Just so you know, we’re gonna go play a record when we finish recording this so that Grace can hear a record, because I’ve got one right here. Okay. So we’ll do that. But, yeah. See and and that’s really that’s really good. And the and the kinds of I feel like, you know, we have, like, 17 Magazine. That’s what we had. And TV.

Jen Hardy [00:15:50]:
With the movie 10 and Bo Derek, which you would have no idea. Christie Brinkley, whatever. But you have social media in your face with people being doctored up and all this stuff all the time. Like, I had a friend you’re not at this point obviously of having children. But this one woman I felt so bad because she said, my baby’s gonna be so disappointed because their nursery isn’t like Instagram. And I was thinking, oh, that is the saddest thing I’ve ever heard because your baby does not care. Right? Yeah. But you have to look at these people and think but there none of them are really what they look like Yeah.

Jen Hardy [00:16:27]:
Out of the filter. Yeah. You know? Does do you think that do you feel like that makes it hard?

Grace Pearson [00:16:32]:
Yeah. Like yeah. And I don’t know. Like, when I’m 50, I don’t even know how popular social media would be anymore or if it’s just gonna be, like, everyone’s wearing VR headsets and eating digital food or something. I don’t know. Yeah. Like, just I don’t know if, like, things like TikTok would exist in 50 years. I personally don’t own TikTok.

Grace Pearson [00:16:56]:
I’m 13. And so, yeah, I don’t I know, like, one person who has TikTok other than my mom, but, like, she never goes on it.

Jen Hardy [00:17:07]:
So is it a little bit scary, the rate that things are changing, to wonder what things are gonna be like when you get older?

Grace Pearson [00:17:14]:
Not really scary. It’s kind of like yeah. That it’s gonna change. I’m just kind of, like, expecting it. And just, like, the speed, I mean, I was born in 2010, so I think flip phones were more popular in 2010

Jen Hardy [00:17:38]:
Yeah.

SONG [00:17:38]:
Because I

Grace Pearson [00:17:38]:
think that’s what my mom had. And so it’s changing pretty fast. Yeah. But I’m sure that soon there will be, like, little things to change because I mean, I don’t know. It’s hard to predict.

Jen Hardy [00:17:55]:
Yeah. It is. Yeah. But, you know, when we were kids, when I was a kid, much a long time ago, things did change, but so much slower. So we did not anticipate all the changes that would happen this fast. So I think it was we were a little more secure in that things were going to somewhat remain the same. That was wrong, but we had that security. We thought Yeah.

Jen Hardy [00:18:20]:
We had it. You know? Yeah. I just I think it just would be, I don’t know, a little bit unsettling, but exciting at the same time.

Grace Pearson [00:18:28]:
Yeah. I totally agree.

Jen Hardy [00:18:30]:
Okay. That’s that’s interesting. Alright. So what have we gotten out of this? Text people when they’re in their room. Know what they’re into so that you can invite them to do that thing. And keep the communication open. And I would go so far as to say, even if you don’t like what they have to say. Yeah.

Jen Hardy [00:18:47]:
That’s a hard one because we had to do that with my older kids. And if I wanted them to talk, I had to be willing to listen. And sometimes, I did not like what they talked about. But if I said that, then they would stop talking. So I keep my mouth shut. Yeah. Keeping your mouth shut is not always easy. Yeah.

Jen Hardy [00:19:03]:
But do you think it’s important?

Grace Pearson [00:19:05]:
It is. You wanna give them a chance to talk too. Like, it’s a conversation. That’s how conversations work. Like, I remember some times, like, with my mom, she’ll, like, say like, be talking, and I’ll say something. And she’ll be like, don’t talk back

Jen Hardy [00:19:24]:
to me. And I’m like, it’s a conversation. That’s how you’re supposed to do it. And It’s a fine line. Yeah. Right? So trying to have that especially as you get older, because you feel you’re older. Right? And so you wanna have more input. But at the same time, yeah, your parents are like, what’s appropriate for you to say back to me and what’s not? And Yeah.

Jen Hardy [00:19:46]:
Everyone’s trying to navigate that.

Grace Pearson [00:19:47]:
Try to also have a humor too. Like, especially if you, like, find a way to make it funny, then the kids probably won’t try to be as rude because then they’ll be like, hey. My mom’s actually funny. Or hey. My dad’s actually funny. And it’s like then they’ll be like, you’re funny. I’m not gonna make fun of you unless you have, like, a funny response. But if you have a funny response, then it’s not actually making fun of you.

Grace Pearson [00:20:13]:
Right. Because it’s just a joke. Together.

Jen Hardy [00:20:15]:
Yes. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. That’s and and, you know, because hormones. Right? So kids are going through puberty, and we’re going through menopause all at the same time, And that is just a recipe for disease. Yeah. So sense of humor is essential Yes.

Jen Hardy [00:20:30]:
To have during that time. So awesome. Well, Grace, this has been super insightful. Thank you so much for sticking around and sharing all this really good information. Because whether you’re out there, even if for the women that don’t have kids, they have nieces and nephews. And definitely even more I think need to know these things and how to relate. So Yeah. You’ve been awesome.

Jen Hardy [00:20:51]:
Have a great day, and I hope that your book sells thousands of copies and you become a best seller. And, Thanks. That’ll be awesome. Alright.

Grace Pearson [00:20:58]:
Yeah. I hope that everyone listening or watching likes it. I hope that they enjoy it.

Jen Hardy [00:21:04]:
They’re going to. It’s gonna be great. You guys have gotta go buy it. Alright? So you’re gonna find the link in the show notes. Go pick it up and, write to me. Let me know what you thought. You can go to jennhardy.net. Go to the contact page and send me a message, and we’ll talk to you soon.

Jen Hardy [00:21:18]:
Say bye.