National Grandparents Day is celebrated annually on the first Sunday after Labor Day. In recognition of the holiday, which falls this year on Sept. 13, Kids 'R' Kids Learning Academies, a national early childhood education franchise with three decades of experience, is sharing ideas to help make National Grandparents Day a meaningful time for families. It is important for parents to help their children understand the special role of grandparents in the family; a great way can be through fun, light-hearted activities that show gratitude and appreciation.

1. Stay in Touch. Carve some time out of jam-packed school and work schedules to give Grandparents a call on National Grandparents Day, especially if they don't live nearby. Encourage your kids to tell Grandma and Grandpa why they love them. Inspire them to ask questions. We have much to learn from our grandparents and their unique childhoods. There's also much we can share with them about our youth. Schedule regular phone calls to help your child establish a strong bond. Grandparents encourage a child's healthy development, and staying in touch can benefit kids in many ways.
2. Record a Personalized Video or Voice Note. Today, technology has made it easier than ever to capture and share the moments we love. Grab a smartphone or iPad, and document a few minutes of your child explaining why he or she finds Grandma and Grandpa special. Kids can often put on a show for the camera, so if you are looking for a more genuine response, don't mention you are filming. Every grandchild has his or her own special qualities worth capturing for posterity. Share these moments with Grandparents on National Grandparents Day or the next time the family is together.  
3. Share a Gift. Though not expected, gifts for grandparents are a heartfelt gesture. They can be as simple and inexpensive as a favorite flower, a handwritten letter or a small collage. Suggest ideas to your child and see what he or she comes up with. Grandma and Grandpa will appreciate the effort and love that goes into these special keepsakes.
4. Bake a Treat. Grandparents are grateful for the time they get to spend with their grandchildren. Baking yummy treats are a fun project everyone can be a part of. Hold a baking day for your child and parents. Kids can practice planning, preparing and serving their goodies while spending quality time with family.
5. Check in with your Local School. Kids 'R' Kids is encouraging parents and Grandparents to check in with their child's school in advance of National Grandparents Day. Many schools are hosting fun-filled activities that children and grandparents can enjoy together. Give your school a call to find out what they are doing.

Kids 'R' Kids Learning Academies have begun fall enrollment at their nearly 160 schools nationwide. With a nationally awarded curriculum, Kids 'R' Kids provides early education and care for children from six weeks through 12 years of age at its nearly 160 schools located in 16 states across the country. Programs offered to children include infant care, toddler and preschool care, private pre-K and kindergarten, before-and-afterschool care and summer camp. In order to provide even more convenience for families with busy schedules, every Kids 'R' Kids academy remains open during all major school breaks and holidays year-round.

Kids 'R' Kids was the first preschool accredited by AdvancED in America, the world's largest education community. This accreditation ensures its schools are meeting and exceeding the highest accreditation standards and providing excellence in education beyond most daycare and childcare providers.

Two Working Parents Means More Grandparents Moving to Help with Childcare

Forget warmer climates … more Baby Boomers are retiring near their adult children to help care for grandchildren.

According to the Mayflower Movers Insights study, one in four U.S. adults with children are more willing to move closer to their adult children now compared to one year ago. And, half of Americans believe that Boomers are more needed in the same town as their children and grandchildren than they were five years ago.

"Every day our Mayflower agents across the country are moving hundreds of families to their new homes, and many agents report that they're seeing more Boomers move to be near their children and grandchildren," said Melissa Sullivan, director, marketing communications, Mayflower. "This survey data supports the trend that our agents are seeing in the field, and helps us not only analyze where our customers move, but understand the reasons why."

Forty percent of survey respondents said their friends and family members age 50 or older have moved in the last year to be closer to their children and grandchildren in order to provide care for grandchildren. Additionally, one in five Americans said their friends and family members moved because their children needed additional help with their kids because both parents work. This new data complements the results of a 2013 Bureau of Labor Statistics survey, which found that 59.1 percent of all U.S. families with children under the age of 18 had two working parents.

"Both my son and daughter-in-law work full-time and neither wanted to leave their jobs when my granddaughter was born, but they also didn't want to spend a fortune on daycare," said Wanda Dobson, a Mayflower customer who recently relocated from Rolla, Mo. toSt. Louis to be near family and provide support with childcare. "I wanted to be able to see my grandkids grow up so I decided to move to St. Louis to help care for the baby while mom and dad are at work."

"Family dynamics have shifted dramatically over the last 50 years, largely due to the increasing number of families with two working parents, high rate of divorce, large number of cohabiting couples and single parents," said Dr. Philip Cohen, a professor of sociology at the University of Maryland who studies household and family structure. "All of these factors have led to an increased need for childcare across the U.S. and therefore an increased reliance on grandparents for support."

The Boomerang Effect – Once Fleeing the Coop, Millennials are Returning HomeThe Mayflower Movers Insights study also found that one in four U.S Millennials (age 18 to 34) have moved back to their hometown in the past five years. When asked why they're moving home, 68 percent of Millennial respondents cited that they wished to be closer to family, friends and significant others. An additional 18 percent said they were moving to help care for family members.

"After college, my husband and I moved to Los Angeles to start our careers," said Ashley Luther, a Mayflower customer. "But when we wanted to buy a house, we decided to move back to our hometown of St. Louis because it offers a much more affordable cost of living and allows us to be closer to family as we settle down and think about having children."

Ashley and her husband are not alone in following this logic. One-third of U.S. Millennials who do not currently live in their hometown would consider moving to their hometown at some point in their life. The top three reasons for considering a move are to be closer to family, friends and significant others (67 percent), to care for family (29 percent) and to settle down and start a family (17 percent). 

"Boomers had fewer children than previous generations, and therefore had more time to devote to nurturing their relationships with their kids. These stronger relationships probably are a big factor that is drawing Millennials back to live in their hometown near their parents," added Dr. Cohen. "Many of these Millennials appear to be moving back to their hometowns to receive help from their parents with childcare, but there's also a large number who are returning to provide care for their aging parents." 

Mayflower, America's most recognized and trusted moving company, moves an average of 60,000 families each year and has 300 agents across the country. Read Mayflower's moving tips to learn how to save time and money and avoid moving scams.

Survey Background and MethodologyRespondents to the survey were selected from Research Now's consumer panel to reflect a general distribution of the consumer population, ages 18 years and older. Respondents were also selected by regional geographic distribution (South, West, Northeast, Midwest) to reflect U.S. demographics. Without knowledge of Mayflower's sponsorship, 1,000 general U.S. adult population respondents completed the survey. Age/generation groups were assigned using the following criteria: Millennial: age 18-34; Gen X: age 35-49; Boomer: age 50-64; Pre-Boomer: age 65+. Additional samples were collected for Millennial and Boomer generational groups to ensure adequate sample sizes for questions specifically addressed to those groups. These responses were weighted to reflect standard U.S. distribution of age groups. For these (Millennial and Boomer) an additional 200 responses were collected for each group, resulting in a total of 1,400 total respondents.

Celebrate Grandparents Day on Sept. 7

WASHINGTON, July 8, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In 1970, Marian McQuade initiated a campaign to establish a day to honor grandparents. In 1978, President Jimmy Carter signed a federal proclamation, declaring the first Sunday after Labor Day as National Grandparents Day. This day has been celebrated every year since in honor of our nation's grandparents.

7.1 millionThe number of grandparents whose grandchildren under 18 years old were living with them in 2012.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012 American Community Survey, Table B10050
http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/12_1YR/B10050

Grandparents as Caregivers

2.7 millionThe number of grandparents responsible for the basic needs of one or more grandchildren under age 18 living with them in 2012. Of these caregivers, 1.7 million were grandmothers and 
1.0 million were grandfathers.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012 American Community Survey, Table B10056
http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/12_1YR/B10056

603,118The number of grandparents responsible for grandchildren under age 18 and whose income was below the poverty level in the past 12 months, compared with the 2.1 million grandparent caregivers whose income was at or above the poverty level. 
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012 American Community Survey, Table B10059
http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/12_1YR/B10059

$46,081Median income for families with grandparent householders responsible for grandchildren under age 18. Among these families, where a parent of the grandchildren was not present, the median income was $35,296.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012 American Community Survey, Table B10010
http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/12_1YR/B10010

1.9 millionThe number of married (including separated) grandparents responsible for caring for their grandchildren. 
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012 American Community Survey, Table B10057 
http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/12_1YR/B10057

1.6 millionThe number of grandparents in the labor force responsible for their own grandchildren under age 18. Among them, 359,791 were 60 years or older. 
Source: U. S. Census Bureau, 2012 American Community Survey, Table B10058
http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/12_1YR/B10058

674,936The number of grandparents who had a disability and were responsible for their grandchildren. 
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012 American Community Survey, Table B10052
http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/12_1YR/B10052

1.9 millionThe number of grandparents responsible for their grandchildren who were living in owner-occupied housing, compared with 850,871 that were living in renter-occupied housing.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012, American Community Survey, Table B10061
http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/12_1YR/B10061

495,946The number of foreign-born grandparents responsible for their own grandchildren under age 18. This contrasts with 2.2 million native-born grandparent caregivers. 
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012 American Community Survey, Table B10053
http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/12_1YR/B10053

2.1 millionThe number of grandparents responsible for their grandchildren who speak only English. Another 252,775 speak another language, but speak English "very well"; 398,387 speak another language and speak English less than "very well."
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012 American Community Survey, Table B10054
http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/12_1YR/B10054

Grandchildren

5.6 millionThe number of children under age 18 living with a grandparent householder in 2012. Nearly half, 
48 percent or 2.7 million, were under age 6.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012 American Community Survey, Table B10001
http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/12_1YR/B10001

10% Percentage of children in the U.S. living with a grandparent in 2013, totaling 7.1 million. 
Source: America's Families and Living Arrangements: 2013, Table C4
https://www.census.gov/hhes/families/data/cps2013C.html

2.8 million The number of children living with both grandmother and grandfather in 2013.
Source: America's Families and Living Arrangements: 2013, Table C4
https://www.census.gov/hhes/families/data/cps2013C.html