In 2010, I wrote this about our grandchildren's "Special Days."
As grandparents, Ron and I are...well...not typical. I suppose there must be plenty of folks out there who are grandparents and actively raising children at the same time, but it seems like there are more of the other kind...the kind whose children are all out of the nest and who are able to spoil the grandkids. When our first grandchild was born, our own youngest child was a mere twenty months old, and was in the throes of toddlerhood. In a big way. In a way that required lots of diligence and training (for her and for us!). So, although we loved our new grandson deeply, we were quite distracted from grandparenthood by the demands of taking care of our Bekah, raising and homeschooling nine-year-old Kati, and (oh yeah) earning a living. Those were busy days!
Over these past seven-plus years however, we have learned to blaze our own grandparenting trail. So who is "typical" anyhow? We have made our own way as Papa and Gran, and have learned to embrace the things that make us "different". After all, not every child gets to go to Grandma's and play with a houseful of toys and (more importantly) a ready-made playmate! Not every child can get dirty and then dig through their aunt's clothing for something to wear home!
Last spring, we began planning Papa-and-Gran days...a day for each child (no brothers or sisters!) to spend the day with us...just that child doing something special that they would like to do. The children began to call them "Special Days"...and we hope that that's just what they are!
Now, almost two years later, we have had even more delightful Special Days with the grands. Some Special Days have been close to home. Some have been out-and-about. All of them have filled our hearts with sweet memories.
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| Top row: Gavin at the lighthouse Middle row: Owen at a fall festival Bottom row: Maddie at the movies (Puss in Boots) and some mall shopping |
Next week here at Thinking About Home, I'd like to tell you about three of our recent Special Days.
First up...Maddie goes to the spa!
How do you make memories with your grandchildren?
Do you have special memories of time spent with your own grandparents?
Our first grandchild came along when our youngest was 5 and they were and are best friends ~ more like siblings than aunt/nephew. I was homeschooling too at the time (Abbey and our high school twins. We really never had an empty nest as Abbey is still at home at age 21 and we now have 10 grandchildren.
ReplyDeleteWe started a year ago, taking the birthday grandchild for a day and usually overnight and it has been a delight for all of us. I was just talking with my daughter this morning about some ideas for Caleb who will be 5 in a few weeks. We are thinking visiting a small local airport or Paws Farm Nature Center. Often we can find deals on Living Social or Groupons but still have to be careful that the cost doesn't escalate with tolls, parking and other hidden costs of an outing together.
Your Special Days family photos are so sweet!
Summertime and school holidays are usually the times we think of having special days. Interspersed with those are the times that the entire family gets together. I think "Special Days" are terrific and highly recommend them. Overthinking them is probably the biggest problem I have.
ReplyDeleteYour grands are so cute and must love to have two doting aunties even if one of them is not so much older than they. My youngest aunt is nine years older than I and was not much of a doter, though I do love spending time with her now. We enjoy many like-minded things beyond family.
Just finished watching Pollyanna (PBS) on your recommendation and it was wonderful! I truly enjoyed it.
We only had one child, so when she had children, I guess we became "typical" grands! We took our oldest on a "double digit trip" when she turned 10. This year, the middle child reaches that ripe old milestone, and we are planning a trip with him (he is so easy to please, he'd be happy to sit in our kitchen and play Phase 10 and dominoes all week). Heaven help us in three years when the wild Chinese boy turns ten: so far his trip options thrown out have been 1. Disney World (OK, do-able), and 2. China ("because I might want to see some people"). Funny boy!
ReplyDeleteYour grands are adorable, and I'm still enjoying your blog, although I don't often comment!
I am not a grandmother yet but have thought about it a little. I was very close to my grandparents, especially the maternal ones. They lived out in the country and they were always DOING something. We had little adventures there. Our family has recently begun watching "Duck Dynasty" and I was surprised that my teenagers said they wished Papaw Phil was THEIR papaw. When I asked why, they said he was always DOING something that looked like fun. Their grandparent visits have been more like go and sit and visit, which is okay for adults but is terribly non-interesting to kids. So I'm filing this under my hat......
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