Granddads are like old easy chairs. There are times when they seem very attractive, inviting and soft to cuddle in. But not forever. Sometimes, grandkids outgrow them and no longer seek to cuddle. I suppose that’s easy to admit. It’s just a bit of a transition. Cuddling on the couch with them and reading or telling stories gets old. Gifts for birthdays can becomes predictable and outdated. The nexus between childhood one and childhood redux can be short-lived. That’s not to say there is no respect at base. But there is a shift from “Hey grampa let’s play…or build, or paint” to “Uh-huh…been there, done that.”
Us grands have to be prepared for the shift. I guess kids change friends as they age… but they can’t change grandparents. Or, said another way, they are changing, while grandparents stay the same, stuck in their repeated wisdom and ideas.
There is often a kind of residual respect, especially if parentally enforced. But essentialy grandkids are going through “a stage,” their required growth spurt in personal development and self-realization. Grands have to reassure themselves that hopefully a residual amount of respect and appreciation is maturing for a later harvest. And if not, we have to remind ourselves that it’s really up to our off-spring to provide the introductory course and follow-up in their presentation of Parenting 102. We can only hope.
We have done our bit, one generation removed, and need patience and trust in the process of growing and aging. We have to believe, if we have done a good job, that the circle is going to close. That our children can anticipate and tolerate their progeny’s growth and development…as we did.
Retired trainer, and writing instructor, Joe Novara lives in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Writings include novels, short stories, a memoir and various poems, plays, anthologies and articles. Read more at https://freefloatingstories.wordpress.com/
