I think we have had enough of heavy theological stuff and it is time to talk about one of my favorite topics -being a granddad. I am relatively new at this but have jumped in with my whole heart. Right now I only have one grandson, Jayden, who is 20 months, but I have two on the way - a girl due in April and another boy in July. I could bore you with a lot of bragging about what a great athlete he is, but I thought I would take a philosophical approach. What is it that makes grandparenting so grand?
Well I think the first thing is that it is a continuation of our bloodline - bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. There is just something about seeing your flesh and blood propagated. Secondly it is awesome to watch your own children be parents. I am amazed at how calm she is and what a good mom. Of course there is the old adage that you can spoil your grandkids and then give them back. That is certainly true and we do our best to spoil him even if it means giving him two ice cream cones after dinner. And giving them back is important, as I think that is crucial to making it fun. Otherwise it becomes work and may God bless those grandparents who take care of them full time.
But I think there is something else that makes it so special. As a grandparent I can focus all of my attention on the child, just watching him and loving him. I do not have to worry about all of the hundreds of things that the parents have to take care of. Then also we are a little more mature and have a deeper perspective. We do not worry if he walks at 10 months or 16 months, or if he talks in sentences by 15 months. We know that all of them will eventually and that the more important things are his character development. And a grandparent's love is unconditional. We do not have to discipline and I think this type of love provides sort of a safety net for kids. Later as they get older we can be a sounding board for them in areas that are difficult for parents.
Like I said I am new at this and will probably have more insights in the future.
