Hi, I’m Marilyn — the Red Glasses Grandma™

Grandma Alice Showed Me What It Meant to Come Alongside

My Grandma Alice read us stories, took us for overnights, and went on drives that somehow seemed to end with ice cream.

She taught children about faith. She helped my mom when she needed her.

And one little thing has stayed with me all these years:

Grandma Alice always said hi to me.

She noticed me.

She made me feel special.

That may sound small, but it taught me something important:

Sometimes the smallest things are the things people remember most.

Then I Became the Mom

Years later, I became the mother of six busy children.

That’s when I began to understand just how valuable grandparents who come alongside can be.

Our children’s grandparents babysat, took several kids at a time, came to ball games, listened, encouraged, and helped.

They were available.

They came alongside.

And without realizing it, I was learning how I wanted to be a grandma someday.

Now It’s My Turn

Today, I’m a grandmother to 17 grandchildren, and I truly love being their grandma.

I want to encourage them.

I also want them to see me encouraging their parents and supporting the family their parents are building.

I don’t need to take over.

I want to be a:

• Helper
• Listener
• Encourager
• Supporter
• Extra pair of hands when needed

Most of all, I want to come alongside.

I’ve Always Been a Teacher and a Maker

Long before Red Glasses Grandma™ had a name, I loved teaching people how to make and do things.

I taught sewing, cooking, childcare, and practical skills as a Home Economics teacher.

Later, I taught children to sew around my own dining-room table.

Over the years, I’ve also preserved family recipes, sewn, cooked, crafted, embroidered, and made things for the people I love.

During COVID, I bought my first single-needle embroidery machine.

I was hooked.

When I look back, I can see the same thread running through all of it:

Teaching. Making. Sharing. Encouraging.

And Then Came the Red Glasses

The name Red Glasses Grandma™ wasn’t created in a marketing meeting.

When I began needing reading glasses, I chose red frames because I’ve always loved red as an accent color.

Before long, the red glasses simply became part of me.

And eventually, so did the name:

Red Glasses Grandma™

Why Red Glasses Grandma™ Exists

I don’t want to make things simply for the sake of making more things.

I want what I create to have a reason behind it.

Maybe it’s:

• An encouraging note tucked into a backpack
• A treasured family recipe
• A prayer
• A handmade gift
• A story read together
• A tradition carried forward
• A simple way to stay connected

Red Glasses Grandma™ is here to help grandparents and families find simple, meaningful, doable ways to come alongside, encourage one another, stay connected, and pass along what matters.

You don’t have to be a perfect grandparent.

You don’t need elaborate plans or expensive gifts.

Sometimes the smallest things become the things our families remember most.