Becoming a grandmother is its own rite of passage from motherhood to grandmotherhood, yet this transition is seldom discussed and not always smooth. It can bring up unresolved aspects of a woman's relationship with her adult children, and herself.

However as Raine Sharpe, grandmother for 20 years says, it also presents an enormous opportunity for personal growth that can be brought into the new relationships she must navigate - with herself, her children, the family circle, and wider society. This in turn brings a grandmother into a fuller, more realised version of herself with wisdom we can all benefit from.

Kath Hellmann and Linda Collerson also share their new experiences of grandmotherhood. Kath is an expectant grandmother, pondering her upcoming transition, and Linda is a brand new grandmother, whose early experiences have not been quite what she anticipated.

Raine Sharpe is writing a book on Becoming a Grandmother. If you would like to participate or would like more information, email: raines@australis.net

Presenter: Sally Cusack

First aired on BayFM Byron Bay on 14 May 2018.

Copyright PBB Media and Sally Cusack 2018