Three Cheers for Grandkids!

Thanks to reader contributions to this column, I have been able to write about what makes a satisfying retirement—everything from socializing to finding a sense of purpose. But reader Nicholas Constantakis has taken me to task for not putting enough emphasis on what he considers the “real joy of retirement”: grandchildren.

- JANET BODNAR

LIVING IN RETIREMENT

“While we enjoy spending more time with our spouses and friends, traveling, and keeping fit, the most important thing is spending time with our grandkids,” writes Constantakis. “Some of us relocate to be nearer to them, buy or rent a summer home to have them visit, or just go to their school plays or ball games.”

Mr. Constantakis, as a grandmother of six, I certainly never intended to give grandkids short shrift. In fact, after six years in retirement, I can honestly say they are my top priority. They all live some distance away from us, so my husband and I spend a lot of time on the road, and I plan all my other activities around our time with them. Judging by my correspondence, many other readers feel the same.