River Valley Rambler - Becoming Grandparents

My wife and I are now grandparents. Our daughter Christine and her husband Greg had their baby on August 21st. Her name is Ava Mary Mason. She is the most beautiful baby in the world. Well she is to us of course.

I’m still not quite sure what to make of being a grandparent because I’ve never been one before. It signals another change in life for sure. Grandparents are usually perceived to be older members of society but that’s not always the case anymore. I know people who have become a grandparent in their early 40’s or younger. So age doesn’t really have a lot to do with it although there is something very senior-like being referred to as ‘Grandpa’ by your friends.

And that brings us to what our granddaughter will actually call us. Our kids called their grandparents Gramma and Poppa. When I was a kid I called one grandmother Nanny and the other Grandma. I suppose in the end it doesn’t really matter what you’re called. The relationship you develop with your grandchild will be based on a lot more than a name. So what does it really mean to a grandparent?

I think of that when I hold little Ava. She’s so tiny and life for her at a few weeks old consists of mainly eating and sleeping. She looks at you sometimes but I don’t think she’s really focusing on who you are yet. I look down at her and wonder about what kind of person she will be and where life will take her. She’s at the beginning of an incredible journey and she doesn’t realize it yet. She’s content just to be and I’m content just to hold her.

Maybe being a grandparent is just about being there for your grandchild. You’re not the parent this time. You don’t have the ultimate responsibility for raising the child. You have a role to play of course to help and support your children and theirs but you’re no longer the primary caregiver. You take a step back from that. It means you get to enjoy the grandchild without assuming all the responsibility. That’s the fun part.

Grandparents can play with their grandchildren, take them on outings, spoil them and at the end of the day hand them back to their parents for the harder stuff like disciplining. It’s a perfect situation. You get to hold the baby but pass her back to her mother when her diapers need a change. At least that’s the way it’s worked out so far. I expect I’ll soon have my turn at changing diapers. Having four kids of my own, I know how to do that.

Probably the secret of being a grandparent is really no secret at all. It’s very simple. All you have to do is love your grandchildren. The rest of it will come naturally after that. And when I look at my new granddaughter that part of it is really easy to do.