As in any other time of life, grandparents find themselves in a variety of situations. Their response as elders varies. Some are fully constrained by their own health and circumstance, some more free with time, and relative financial security. Some are forced into roles such as primary caregivers.
I’ve been very fortunate in all this, with a relatively easy glide path and many options. Since retirement, I’ve happily lived as if I were an 11-year-old. So my chosen role as our grandson grew towards 8, is that of being an elder peer – almost a brother surrogate. With privileges (authority freedom etc) only rarely exercised.
A child is mostly free of the concern with the future that arrives around year 10, and haunts us well into our 70s. And so I have been able to truly enjoy each day as if it were unique and marvelous. When things are working well, I convey that to him and we just have a fun time.
Everyone else, of course, is really busy. When they have time, they are always “making” my grandson do something, to get him to learn. Forcing him to grow up. I hope to be a refreshing, if temporary, change from all that.
Our precious time together is a grand experience for me, losing a little more of my own residual fear of the future as I immerse myself in all his childhood moments that remain.
HuntingtonHarborThoughts 