Why Grandmas Are the Best

My daughter was preparing to leave for a weekend away as a kids’ camp leader. It would be the first time she would leave her baby overnight—for two nights—with Dad. All the campers were eagerly gathered with bags and pillows and gear to get on the bus and head up the mountain. Where it was snowing—a big deal for California kids! Monica was working hard organizing kids and helping to get the bus loaded.

I got to walk around and play with my newly running grandson. It was going very well until he wanted to jump into the fountain in front of church. Grandma had to stop him—I didn’t want to, I’d rather give him everything he wants but the better part of safety caused me to hold him back from fountain play. Well…he did not like it, not one bit! He threw a bit of a fit—okay, not a bit of a fit, a full-blown fit, just trying to preserve my grandson’s reputation—and I had to use all my might with him flailing and fighting as I carried him to Dad. Here you go… “He wanted to dive into the fountain.” Dad held him until he calmed down. Like a game of hot potato, Grandma knows when to pass.

Sunday afternoon the bus returned and we all waited as the campers and my daughter got off the bus. After greeting her husband and son Monica had more work to do to wrap things up. My little grandson started to cry as Mom walked away. I asked Kyle if he wanted me to take him to his Mom, BECAUSE I hate seeing him cry. Kyle said, “No, he’s fine. He can wait.”

At that very moment, a monumental realization flooded my being. My main grandma objective is to give my grandchildren everything they want. I want to see laughter and smiles. Like allowing Jacob to play the open-the-can-drawer-in-Mommy’s-kitchen-and-throw-all-the-cans-on-the-floor game. Yeah, grandma played that game with him. All of my daughter’s cans were dented, and grandma got in trouble. Oh well. Pfffff.

I just want him to be happy. Parents don’t think like that, and rightly so. Parents need to train and prepare. Their objective is to guide their children toward a life of integrity and character and faith and productivity. As a grandparent, I can trust that my own children will do the training and lovingly parent their children so they don’t end up in a van down by the river.

I can help and support but truly all I want is to see my grandchildren happy. Which is why being a grandparent is so much fun and rewarding. We get the best part of the raising/loving/guiding process. We get to love, and hand them back. Sure, we’ll stay in the wings as the backup if the A-team needs assistance, but grandparents are the backup team.

It’s not our job to take over or to judge or to offer advice without being asked.

We are on the bench. We get to watch the game but we are on time out unless the coach calls us in. And I love it. I love it more than any other roll I’ve ever played. Being a grandparent is the best title in the world. The honor of being called Grandma means you’ve been called Mom and have survived. Being a grandma is a badge of honor, a purple heart, it means you are now a decorated parent veteran.

Are you a grandparent? I’m sure you’d have much to add about the joys of grand-parenting.

Are you a parent? Enjoy the hand off and allow your parents to love on your kids. We all need breaks.

Fondly,

Lu

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