Joys of Grandparenting
My husband and I just returned from helping our son and family move to another location in Minnesota. We were sure to include a few fun activities in the mix with our two precious grandchildren. At the ages of three (Liberty) and one (Elijah), they are not worried about the market, political moral scandals, or wars and uprisings in other countries.
If Liberty eats regularly and has the proper amount of sleep, she’s happy-go-lucky and lovable. She’s content if someone watches her slide down her slide and clap for her, tell her what a good job she did staying in the lines with coloring crayons, and gives her a hug and kiss with a nightly prayer.
Children don’t require expensive toys or gimmicks, but thrive on praise and time playing together. They could teach us grownups a lesson or two about spontaneous, joyous laughter and unbridled squeals of joy. These perks you cannot purchase with a credit card, or measure on a graph. The little ones require so little of us…a simple holding of their hand, guide them, speak truth softly to them, cuddle and just plain be there for them. Yes, it takes time and energy, and huge doses of patience, but it is worth it in the long run.
I want to spend my time wisely by building into these young, impressionable lives, and expect to reap eternal future rewards. Spending time with them now is precious commodity money cannot buy. In some respects, I wish I could do it over again with my own children. I guarantee I’d spend less time cleaning and organizing and more time one-on-one interacting directly with them building strong character into tomorrow’s parents and leaders.
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