Grandparenting is grand parenting
(A 2003 reprise)
Grandparenting is Grand Parenting. I couldn’t have imagined the joy, pleasure and fun I’d find in this, the best of all situations where I’m teacher, companion, playmate, clown/entertainer and, rarely, minor disciplinarian to grandchildren Amalia and Nick. Then, before you know it, it’s time for them to go back home again, and for me to catch my breath and rest up for the next episode.
Three-year-old Nick is ‘full of it’, and still emerging from the ‘terrible twos’. He’s usually sweet, sensitive and loving, but can be a terror when he craves some of the attention directed towards his year older but smaller sister, or when someone interferes with his developing independence.
Four-year-old Amalia is charming, outgoing and sociable. Sometimes, seemingly for the pure fun of it, when she thinks nobody’s looking, she ‘pushes Nick’s buttons’ to set him off and try to get him into trouble.
They rekindle my dormant childhood senses of fun, adventure, and mystery.
Last summer, armed with a jar, net and magnifying glass, Nick and I set out to explore the woods. Before long, we came upon a newborn creature lying in the middle of the trail. About 2 inches long, dark red, with 4 legs, it was struggling to move. Was it a chipmunk, born during its mother’s hasty retreat from danger? We looked all over, but couldn’t find her.
Nick insisted on taking our treasure home. Imagine our surprise when his mother and my wife wouldn’t let us bring it into the house!
Once, I was standing in a group of people, holding light-as-a-feather Amalia. She nonchalantly fed me popcorn from her sack while we carried on separate conversations. Our eyes met, she smiled and gave me a big hug and kiss on the cheek. Tears trickled down my face.
When he’s at our house, Nick and I are like Siamese twins. His calls of “Grandpa, where are you?” are music to my ears. After our adventure in the woods, he greets me with: “Grandpa, can we go to the cabin and look for frogs and crickets?” I feel warm and fuzzy.
In this jaded, rough and tumble world, I’ve come to feel special pleasure and joy in Grand Parenting. It allows me to explore the mystery of mutual adoration and unreserved love in simple experiences like putting puzzles together, playing make believe games, quietly reading while they play with toys, becoming engrossed in conversation while we walk hand in hand down the street, or merging into a single being while I read a story.
Grandparenting is Grand Parenting, for sure. I look forward to the time when younger brother Luke can join in the fun.
But, there is also a tinge of sadness. I can see what I missed with my four older grandchildren who lived on the West Coast during their early years. And I know what I’m missing now with two other young grandsons that I seldom see who live in Chicago.
Dec, 2003
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