As I mentioned on my previous ‘Mummy Corner’ article, I will talk about grandparents’ influence on their grandchildren. Here I am sharing my experience and thoughts on the bond between grandparents and kids. They play such a huge role in our children's lives, and it doesn’t matter whether they are miles and miles away or a 10 minute walk away. To be honest, as parents we cannot imagine our lives without them. For many adults who just became grandparents is an opportunity to feel youthful again. It is kind of a flashback to when you were younger and did things like changing diapers.
There aren’t enough words to describe the love of grandparents for their grandchildren. I am lucky to have these amazing four people in our lives. It is not just what they do or did, it is the examples and lessons they shared, and most of all the love they give to their grandchildren. To this day, I talk about my grandparents and memories we’ve shared together when I was young. They are just so unforgettable that they generously shared their wisdom over the years, and their legacy still lives in us.
In addition, I am lucky to have witnessed my maternal grandmother see my son. His great-grandmother (almost 90 and she is one of the most resilient women I know). I will always remember the first encounter between my son and grandmother, and it is so vivid in my mind still. She carried my 6-month-old and adored him. As for my son, he stared at her with curious eyes and gave a toothless smile.
Although she can’t play with him intensely, my son brings his books and other stuff to her and explains everything from A to Z. It was noticeably clear to me that even though she did not fully understand him and his toys, she enjoyed his company and the moment to the fullest. Whenever we visit her, she is always happy to see my son and sheds a tear or two while saying she is glad to be alive to see my son. I could not help myself too, tears ran down on my cheeks when she embraced him. Right now, I only hope we can travel back to Mongolia soon and see her again. Don’t worry grandma, you will see him finishing high school, and in a blink of an eye, we will celebrate your 100th birthday (we will ask your great grandchildren to blow out your candles on the cake). Stay healthy and strong for us, great grandma!
Nothing can replace in-person time together with family, but thanks to technology, we can connect online with just a click. Certainly, it helps to stay connected anywhere you are and ensures that your time spent together starts exactly where you left off.
Since my kid was born, the usage of video call and messaging to grandparents has increased drastically. They make my kid happy and keep him occupied for a period of time while I do some house chores. Usually, they do different types of activities like reading, house/room tour, cupboard tour and so on. Likewise, my son shows all of his toys with explanations. Other times, grandfather plays a tune or two on a guitar when my son feels not well, which brings smile to his face.
Do not underestimate what your parents can do for you from far away. Occasionally, you see your relatives on video calls too. A video call is just a click away, so try to connect with them often.
My family live in a different country and are hours away from grandparents. Considering the current situation it is complicated to travel. In such uncertainty, it is hard to make plans for a grandparents visit. It could have been easier to say our goodbyes if all of us were nearby. Every time when we say goodbye, my son starts crying that he wants to bring them along. Sure, plane rides are one of the daunting things standing in our way. The memories we make while we are with them are priceless, eating good food, hiking up to the beautiful green mountains, and taking a walk by the lake or sea side.
Spoiling is difficult to be okay with, especially first-time parents. Every single parent wants to do things perfectly and that may include limiting candies, extra toys, electronic devises, and so on. But let me tell you, once you visit the grandparent's house, kids are going to get spoiled. So, it will happen, and it is fine.
There is line that should not be crossed, but a little bit of spoiling should not keep love from flowing, especially when grandma is a giver of gifts and grandpa wants to share his love for cake. They are not doing it on purpose, they just have so much love for their grandchildren and love to see their smile and sparkle in their eyes. Our kids will not always have them in their lives. Allow them to make memories while they still can.
I remember when I was a kid, my grandma had a snack drawer and all the cousins knew where it was. When our grandparents allowed us to have some, they opened the drawer, and we were in awe and whispered ‘Wow’. Well, I guess, every grandchild knows where it is, and it is always well stocked.
In some families, food is not simply a way to get nutrients into our bodies, but also an expression of love and affection. My parents and my in-laws always prepare a meal whenever we see them, and it is special every time. We have an article about ‘Saying I Love You’ that touches topics like love language and expressing affection.
Grandparents have been around more than us. They have seen and experienced a lot of things. Indeed, they have been through a lot, and they’ve tried, seen, done it. Try to spend quality time with them while you still can, so that you don’t have regrets later in life and do not be ageist against them. There is so much wisdom you can soak up from them to learn what really matters in life.
I love these sweet moments between my son and his grandparents. It makes me realise how important it is for our kid to have a connection with his grandparents, even when they live far away and in a different culture.
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