Telling your parents that they’re going to become grandparents is a very special occasion, especially when it’s the first time! Although this moment can be tinged with nerves or impatience, it’s generally a milestone in the pregnancy. Some parents have agreed to share with Aleteia readers how they made the announcement ... which often required careful preparation!
1. A fake family photo
“Gather around the couch, we're going to take a family photo!” Caroline scripted her announcement by gathering her loved ones around the couch before telling them that someone was missing and would be arriving in a few months!
2. More or less clear clues
Clues can lead parents to understand the happy news, sometimes after a few minutes of reflection! Among the ideas that people suggested is that of making the older children wear a piece of clothing, such as a T-shirt, saying things like, "I'm going to be a big brother soon.” As Camilla points out, the time it takes for people to react is fun to watch.
Other parents, in their newfound joy, decided to pass on the message with a gift, offering a food basket filled with brands that have “Grandma” in the title, or a bottle of wine with a personalized label that explains the happy event, or even books about how to be a grandparent.
One expectant mother, knowing her mother's talent for knitting, placed an order: "I gave Mom a ball of wool and included a message requesting baby booties for within 9 months."
3. The umbrella
Also competing in originality, a new mom and her husband prepared a special umbrella that they gave to the new grandparents. They attached strings to the ribs of the umbrella and tied things such as pacifiers, a comforter, and a onesie, accompanied by confetti. A meticulously prepared prop that created a nice surprise effect!
4. During family prayer or at Mass
"We’re used to praying as a family when we’re together, so we announced the happy event during our evening prayer," says Anne. The surprise effect was successful, and the prayer intentions were redoubled from that day on from all the members of the family. It was a felicitous way to place the pregnancy under God’s protection!
Another couple, Paul and Helen, had a Mass said for their future child – a Mass they knew their parents would attend. When the intention was announced, it was a very emotional moment for the whole family!
5. Improvised announcements!
“I was at the very beginning of my pregnancy,” says Camilla, “and my mother asked me to prepare foie gras … I didn't want to announce it right away, but let's just say that I was forced to tell her after 10 minutes of being terribly sickened by the task at hand!”
In the same vein, Laura had to call her mother in the first few weeks to get help on a daily basis, as her morning sickness left her with little energy to take care of the older children.
6. A very sweet idea
One mother prepared surprise chocolate eggs with a miniature ultrasound inside each one – a great idea for those who love chocolate and sweets! Charlotte, who is just as organized, cooked fortune cookies and slipped quotations inside as required. Obviously, one of them announced the pregnancy!
7. With the participation of the older siblings
Marian had her daughter draw a picture of her family and asked her to add the baby in her belly. The little girl rushed to offer the drawing to her grandmother, who got very emotional when she learned the news this way. A photo montage or a video can also be sent by one of the siblings, in case of a remote announcement, adding for example a bubble saying, "I'm going to be a big sister!" above a photo of the elder son or daughter.
8. By phone – but not the way you think
Julien, looking for an original way to announce to his mother what he considered to be the most beautiful surprise of his life, had the idea of stealing her cell phone and changing the background image. This is how a bib and a baby bottle replaced the beautiful sailboat on her mobile screen. To spice up the announcement, the manipulation was done just before he left her house. Five minutes later, he called her so she’d look at her phone … A nice surprise effect in pictures!
9. A letter
In certain situations, such as geographical distance combined with older generations who aren’t tech savvy, writing a letter can be a nice way to tell your parents that they’re going to become happy grandparents very soon!
10. A Christmas or Easter gift
At Christmas, right after the opening of the presents, Martha added a wonderful gift to the family celebration: the announcement of a third child due in early summer.
Another mom, Aude, made the announcement more concrete by wrapping a pair of wool baby booties in pretty gift wrap and placing them under the tree with the other gifts.
Constance, on the other hand, decorated the tree with personalized decorations bearing the names of the whole family – adding a golden star with the words “June 2022.” What a nice way to announce the unborn child!
