What an important job. There probably isn’t a role more challenging or demanding. I had the pleasure of watching my granddaughter yesterday. Usually, I do this in tandem with my better half but she was sitting with our infant grandson at his home.
Each time we watch her it reminds me of the awesome responsibility that comes with it. The opportunities to teach and encourage. To love and laugh. To discover and share the wonder. To support and nurture. And what a wonder it is to spend the day with a 3-year-old and share all these things.
And then at the end of the day, she is curled up asleep on the couch next to me waiting for her Mom to come home from the wedding of a college classmate. And I’m whipped. I forgot the energy needed for this job. But I also remembered a few other things and that is the stress and pressure you feel as a young parent. It is the fullest of full-time jobs.
It’s mentally challenging and physically draining. Now as a grandparent the mentally challenging part is much easier to deal with. If they throw a fit because they got too tired or are learning important lessons like patience or sharing or the bazillion other things that will drive them to the point of insanity. And that YELL will come. But it’s like grandparents have this immunity to that whereas a parent your body tenses, your mind is wanting to yell SHUT UP. That immunity is calm in the eye of the storm. Both in your response and ability to not internally stress and come up with interesting ways to teach them lessons along the way in life and calm them at the same time.
The physical part of keeping up with that younger ball of energy is more challenging as a grandparent now, but it’s still pretty physically draining on parents also. I forgot the role of MULE that goes along with being a parent. Packing/unpacking the car. Figuring out what they picked up and you have to return to your parent’s house.
No wonder we forget stuff when we get older. We were doing all the remembering for (# of children you have) and yourself for decades. And all that thinking uses up too much brainpower and we aren’t left with enough to get by.
Which brought the memories of the stress of being a parent and working and surviving. Being a parent is a lot of sacrifices. So many, you give up a lot of yourself for a very long time. And that is the deal a lot of parents don’t go into it understanding. How you come to make those sacrifices and sharing that load is very important.
But as you age as a parent and if you’re lucky enough to become a grandparent you realize that deal of many sacrifices has so many payoffs along the way and at the end that bring joy and completeness to your life.
Random Thoughts of the Day
- It could be one of those lazy Sundays. Cloudy outside with a chance of rain. Work this evening and a body that is yelling at me for overuse. Watch out couch, here I come.
- Then again my next thought is I should make use of this day and get to work finishing and or starting a few projects. The ideas are flowing so maybe I’ll go this route instead of visiting Lazytown.
- My chimney needs some masonry work and I’m dreading the cost of it.
- A cold Coke in a bottle can’t be beaten.
- Less drama – more happiness.
- Oh, the photos on today’s post were taken yesterday. No sun this morning.
