The Most Practical Tool in the Framework
The WHO Inventory helps you see yourself clearly. The boundary scripts help you communicate well. But the Treasure Trove is where the Good to Great Grandparenting framework gets truly practical, because it’s the tool you use every single time you talk to a grandchild.
Neil Taft introduces it near the end of Chapter 1 in The Bridge to Your Grandchildren, and it’s one of the most talked-about ideas in the Good to Great community. The concept is simple: a loose-leaf notebook with one section per grandchild, filled with the details that make every conversation feel personal.
Not a scrapbook. Not a journal. A living reference that grows as they grow.
What the Framework Recommends You Track
The Treasure Trove works because it’s specific. Here’s what Neil recommends including for each grandchild:
Name and nicknames (these evolve over time)
Birthday and birth year (so you always know their actual age)
School, grade, and teacher
Current best friend (write in pencil — this changes frequently)
Interests by age: favorite color, shows, games, and superheroes for younger kids; music, athletes, and hobbies as they get older
Something uniquely them: an award, a trait, a moment that made you stop and feel grateful
That last category is where the framework intersects with something deeper. When Good to Great community members share their Treasure Trove entries, the “uniquely them” section is almost always the one that brings people to tears. It’s where grandparenting becomes legacy.
Why This Tool Matters for the Long Game
The Good to Great framework is built on one core idea: small steps, repeated with intention, create lasting meaningful connections. The Treasure Trove is that principle made tangible.
The grandparents who stay close during the preteen years are almost always the ones who kept paying attention to the details. When one-word answers become the norm, specificity is what keeps the door open.
Asking “How’s your friend Mia doing?” instead of “How are your friends?” changes the entire dynamic of a conversation. It tells a child: you are known here. That feeling is irreplaceable, and it doesn’t happen by accident.
Neil also recommends Mylar-reinforced paper so pages don’t tear out with heavy use. A loose-leaf binder lets you add sections as the family grows and update pages as kids change.
The GrandTracker App: A Digital Version
For community members who prefer digital tools, Roland Thompson, author of Grand Connect, has built an app called GrandTracker, available on iOS and Android. It captures the same information as the notebook in a phone-friendly format. Apple Store approved, with privacy safeguards in place.
Paper or digital, the principle is the same: keep the details, show up prepared, and let your grandchildren feel genuinely known.
Your Community Action Step
This week, start your Treasure Trove. Pick one grandchild and write down:
Their current best friend’s name
What they’re most interested in right now
One thing that makes them uniquely them
Then bring it to your next call or visit. Use one of those details to open the conversation. Notice what changes.
Share what you discovered in the community. What surprised you? What did you already know? What do you want to learn next?
The Good to Great journey is built on tools like this one: simple, consistent, and deeply intentional.
Explore more tools, stories, and community resources at goodtogreatgrandparenting.com under the “You as Grandparent” tab.