Sometimes raising kids is challenging. No one really trains us how to raise our children; of course there was Dr. Spock, and then someone else and then someone else who disagreed with them. In the 70’s we didn’t swaddle our babies, much to our mother-in-laws chagrin, and now my grandson is swaddled! Who knew?! We learned from our parents, who did the best they could based on their parents. It was either good, or bad or somewhere in between. We all do our best and hopefully our children survive the job we do.
If we are really lucky, the prize for surviving parenthood is when you get to be a grandparent. Could we love any one person any more? I think it’s because they are our second chance; to soften, to say yes more, to hug more, and for a moment of time to slip back into silliness.
Grandparents tend to be ferociously protective, because we are older and most likely don’t care as much what others think-or maybe it’s because we are wiser and more aware of the dangers that are out there. I have made it perfectly clear what would happen if someone tried to hurt a grandchild. I don’t mean helicopter parent protectiveness, where children aren’t allowed to feel loss, heartbreak, or failure. I mean if someone is stupid enough to try and hurt them physically.
My oldest grandson was having a bit of anxiety and decided to talk to me about it. He was probably nine. His mom was newly divorced and for some reason, he was worried someone would come in to the house and take him. He said, “Grandma, what would you do if someone kidnapped me?” I said, “I would take every cent I have to hunt them down; we would get you back and then Grandma would kill them.”
He nodded his head, “That’s what Mom said you would say.”
“Feel better now?”
“Yep,” and off he went to play.
What a great feeling for a child to think his grandma would protect him at any cost. I don’t know if he thought my comment was metaphorical or literal, but I know and so do you.
I would do fine in prison; I could teach classes, start a book group, discuss feelings……
Peace…
Loving and Surviving 