I remember my mother saying how you join 'the idiot club' when you have grandchildren and I didn't know what she meant until I had my own grandchildren. There is something about grandchildren that makes your heart just melt. Everything they do is amazing....at least to this Gommy. Just watching them eating their cereal is amazing.....I try not to overwhelm innocent by-standers by gushing too much, but there are times I cannot help myself. I know I take too many pictures and I assume everyone wants to see them.....most people are very nice and take a look. I have just had the pleasure of recently being Gommy again and I can't wait for all the firsts to enjoy once more.
Grandchildren also validate you to your own children . It suddenly becomes evident to them that you were a great parent and they can understand why you did what you did way back when. They finally understand what unconditional love is. It is something you can't explain to them. It has to be experienced. It is hard to keep your opinions to yourself about how the grands should be raised but it is essential to keep your mouth shut at all costs. I remember mentioning that my husband and I would love to take our granddaughter to the beach one day and I got an answer I wasn't prepared for. My daughter, who obviously made it to adulthood with me as her mother, said quite seriously, "By yourselves?" I was crushed but my husband was more than confused that we were thought of as dawdling old dolts who couldn't possibly keep our combined eyes on a 2 year old.....Oh well, we just go to the beach ourselves these days and keep an eye on each other....
I love to spend time with my grandkids. They never cease to bring a smile to my face with the cute little things they say. Like the day shortly after Brandon was brought home from the hospital, Samantha asked her mommy, "Just when is Brandon's' mommy coming to get him?" She loves her little brother now though and has decided he can stay.
Grandchildren think their grandparents are really cool people and they love you unconditionally too. They haven't been tarnished by preconceived notions and biases. They don't see the wrinkles or saggy skin. They see someone who loves them right back. They also have a common enemy.....their parents. I understand the true meaning of the word 'bliss' when I am with them.
I also have almost grown grandkids. There is Terry and Megan. Terry was having a little trouble in school a few years ago and it was decided he should come stay with grandpa and me for a school year. It was a challenge to have a teenager in the house again. Terry tested the waters right off the bat. When I asked where his homework was, he said he didn't have any......RED FLAG. He didn't realize I had already 'been there, done that' with my own teens growing up. I proceeded to his school and had a conference with the teachers. I was told he wasn't trying and had a little chip on his shoulder. I went back to school the very next day....WITH Terry. I sat with him at his desk in each class. Imagine a teen having his Gommy go to school with him! It didn't take very long before he started to see things differently. He did have homework and he brought it home and he did it the first thing off the bus. Oh, the bus. One day he got off the bus and seemed irritated. I asked what was wrong and he informed me he was going to knock some kids head off. I knew where that might be going so I said....."I know what I can do. I can be a bus monitor..." He asked what that was and I told him I could ride to and from school on the bus with him and make sure everything went okay. He told me to nevermind; he would make sure there wasn't any problems on the bus if I would promise not to ride it with him.....ahhhhh. I love it when that happens. It turned out that Terry passed that year and I think it did all of us a lot of good and each of us learned something from each other and the experience.
So that is it for now. I hope everyone has a chance to be a grandparent one day and that they can enjoy it as much as I do. It is the gift that keeps on giving.
