Mary H. Waldrip said, “Grandchildren are God’s way of compensating us for growing old.”

But Gene Perret is credited with saying “an hour with your grandchildren can make you feel young again. Anything longer than that, and you start to age quickly.”

Thoughts of grandparents were brought to mind this past week when a family member lost his grandmother. What do grandparents mean to most people?

Is a grandparent someone you go to when you are needy; need money, are hungry, need companionship, need a good listener, need advice or just need unconditional love.

Is a grandparent someone you respect? To show that respect you try to please a grandparent by being on your best behavior when in their company.

I think back to the days with my grandparents. My maternal grandfather died early in his life so I only knew my maternal grand mother.

Since I was the oldest of her grandchildren I spent the most time with her. Both my material and paternal families were multigenerational. My aunt and two uncles lived with my grandmother and when they decided to go on their own, I was selected to live with my grandmother to provide company and care for her. My grandmother and I were very close. My grandmother spoke only broken English since she was of Polish descent but we had no problem communicating.  When my grandmother died as the result of an automobile accident I was devastated. It was very hard for me to move on.

On the other hand, my paternal grandmother died when I was two years old so I never knew her. My parents and I moved into my grandfather’s house to take care of him. I grew up with my grandparents as a major part of my life.

I suspect that this kind of relationship is common among those of my generation. Is that true for young people today? Grandparents are younger or seem so since I thought mine were ancient. Grandparents today are far more active than mine were. They are not always in the same location as their grandchildren so they are not as familiar with each other.

With increased longevity there are more grand and great grandparents then ever before. What part do great grandparents play in the lives of their grandchildren?

In many cultures grandparents are revered for their elder statesmanship. They are cared for by the family. Today more and more grandparents are moving from the family home into another facility and non-family members are caring for them.

Many hard decisions are being made to care for these elderly family members.

But grandparenting can have many rewards. Hearing a child’s laughter or their incessant chatter is one of the pleasures of being around children. Watching them as they discover new things and explore using their imaginations is one of the highlights of not having to be responsible for their care. As they mature they seem to recognize the value of a grandparent. They may even think you are wise in your old age.

“Grandchildren are the dots that connect the lines from generation to generation.” — Lois Wyse

Enjoy yours while you can.

 

JoAnn Boepple works at the Edwardsburg Area History Museum.