A partnership built on making families stronger.
Our mission is to be the trusted village every grandparent and adult child can turn to — before, during, and after the hard conversations. We’ve spent lives and careers understanding what it actually takes to keep an intergenerational family close.
Our Story
Two women. Two careers spent inside real families. And the same intergenerational story, over and over: a grandparent who loved too hard and said the wrong thing at the wrong time. An adult child who wanted their parents close but couldn't say why it wasn't working. A relationship everyone wanted and almost nobody had a map for.
Pam Siegel and Leslie Zinberg didn't set out to write a book. They set out to solve a problem they kept watching families walk into, unarmed. Grandparenting – Renew, Relive, Rejoice was the first attempt — fifty-two ways in, fifty-two small permissions to reconnect. It worked. It also revealed the harder truth underneath: connection wasn't a knowledge problem. It was a communication problem, and it went both directions.
So they wrote the book they actually meant to write. Say It Out Loud, How to Have Honest Conversations Between Parents and Grandparents doesn't take a side. It says, out loud, what grandparents are afraid to admit — that they're not in charge anymore — and what adult children are afraid to say — that they want their parents close, just not in charge either. It hands both generations the same map.
That's when Pam and Leslie realized the books were never the whole answer. A book gets read once and goes back on the shelf. Families don't get stuck once — they get stuck weekly, over new milestones, new boundaries, new versions of the same old argument. What families actually needed was a place to come back to.
That place is called, The Grandparent Village.
Not a blog. Not a course library. A village, in the oldest sense of the word — the place you go because you can't raise a family, or hold one together, entirely alone. Pam and Leslie are the elders of it: two experts who've spent their careers in the exact terrain their audience is standing in, willing to say the thing everyone else is too polite to say.
Every grandparent who's ever bitten their tongue too late. Every adult child who's ever wanted to scream and said nothing instead. Every therapist who's watched a family circle the same fight for the tenth time. That's who the Village is built for. And Pam and Leslie aren't just its founders — they're proof that saying the honest thing, out loud, is what actually brings a family back together.
Our Focus
Two experts. One village.
Two authors, two published books, and a track record of research-backed, real-world tools mapped to the specific places grandparents and adult children get stuck. Our books are focused on issues specifically for grandparents and their adult children navigating today's family dynamics.
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When a family goes through separation or divorce, grandparents often find themselves navigating new boundaries, custody schedules, and their own grief alongside the grandkids'. Here's guidance on staying a steady, welcome presence through the transition without overstepping.
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Faith and politics can either deepen family connection or open old wounds, especially across generations with different views. Find honest ways to share your beliefs and traditions with grandchildren while honoring what parents want taught — or left untaught — at home.
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The relationship between parents and their own parents-in-law can be one of the most delicate in the family system, full of unspoken expectations on both sides. Get tools for building mutual respect and clear communication across that particular divide.
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Today's grandchildren are growing up with a broader understanding of gender and identity than many grandparents did, and that gap can feel confusing or even threatening. Discover how to stay curious, supportive, and connected — even when the language and norms are unfamiliar.Description text goes here
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Screens have changed childhood — and grandparenting — in ways no generation has faced before. Explore how to set healthy boundaries around technology while staying connected to grandkids in the ways that matter most.
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Few topics spark more tension between generations than differing views on discipline, manners, and "the way we used to do it." Learn how to respect a parent's house rules while still finding your own meaningful role in a grandchild's behavior and values.
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Grandparents can be a child's safe harbor when school or sibling dynamics get hard, but knowing when to step in versus let parents handle it isn't always obvious. Explore how to support a grandchild through teasing or bullying while respecting the parents' lead.
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Adoptive families bring unique joys and unique sensitivities, and grandparents play a critical role in making an adopted grandchild feel fully, unconditionally part of the family. Learn how to talk about adoption with love, honesty, and the right words at the right time.
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Few relationships carry as much emotional weight — or as much potential for connection — as the one between a daughter-in-law and her mother-in-law. Find honest, practical guidance for building trust and warmth in a dynamic that's often stereotyped as difficult.
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Small traditions and special treats are often what grandkids remember most, but knowing where indulgence ends and overstepping begins isn't always clear. Explore how to create meaningful rituals that honor your role without undermining parents' rules.
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Holidays and gift-giving can bring families together or spark real tension over expectations, excess, and tradition. Find guidance on celebrating generously while staying mindful of what parents want their kids to learn about gratitude.
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Financial support, spoiling, and unequal giving among grandchildren are some of the most sensitive topics families avoid discussing outright. Learn how to navigate money conversations with clarity and fairness, protecting both family harmony and your own financial wellbeing.
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Building trust with a son- or daughter-in-law takes patience, humility, and clear communication, especially when parenting styles differ. Discover how to strengthen this often-delicate relationship without feeling like an outsider in your own family.
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As roles shift, adult children and grandchildren may find themselves caring for the grandparents who once cared for them. Explore how to navigate this new chapter with compassion, communication, and shared understanding across generations.
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From favoritism among cousins to awkward moments at family gatherings, grandparenting comes with its own set of social tightropes. Get practical guidance for handling these dilemmas with grace and honesty.
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Keeping grandchildren safe means staying current on today's guidelines, even when they differ from how you once did things. Learn what's changed and how to align your habits with what today's parents expect.
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When adult children go through divorce or begin a new relationship, grandparents can play a stabilizing, reassuring role for grandchildren navigating change. Learn how to offer steady support without taking sides or adding pressure.
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Few experiences are as painful as being distanced from your own grandchildren, whether the cause is conflict, misunderstanding, or something deeper. Find compassionate guidance for coping, communicating, and working toward reconnection where possible.
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Physical distance doesn't have to mean emotional distance, but it does require intention and creativity. Discover ways to stay close, present, and involved in a grandchild's life from miles away.
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Every family is a mix of different personalities, communication styles, and, sometimes, competing egos. Learn how self-awareness and humility can ease friction and strengthen family bonds.
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When a grandparent's need for control, attention, or validation overshadows the family's wellbeing, real damage can follow. Explore how to recognize these dynamics and protect healthy boundaries for the sake of the whole family.
“Say It Out Loud tackles one of family life's most universal tensions: the push and pull between parents and grandparents. With warmth, humor, and clinical insight, Pam Siegel and Leslie Zinberg-therapist, grandparent advocates, and grandmothers themselves-offer a practical roadmap for the conversations families tend to avoid.
— Erin Schlozman, author of The Myth of the Perfect Mom, Therapist, and Founder of 4th Trimester Wellness
Practical tools and honest conversation starters.
Discover Pam and Leslie's published works, including Grandparenting: Renew, Relive, Rejoice and their newest release, Say It Out Loud: How to Have Honest Conversations Between Parents and Grandparents.