I still remember the day when our daughter and son-in-law announced that they were having a baby. My husband Rick and I were going to be grandparents! The pregnancy and birth happened in the blink of an eye. We were blessed with a beautiful, bouncing, 8 lb.10 oz. baby boy named Jacob. He was radiant. . . a gift from God.
The Decision
Our girl finished her post-secondary education and landed a great full-time job upon graduation. I’d just retired after having worked for 25 years, and was looking forward to some uninterrupted quilting time. But, in the words of the Scottish poet, Robbie Burns:
“The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.”
With our daughter’s full support and endorsement, I made the decision to be our grandson’s daytime caregiver. My close friends thought I was crazy! But I felt strongly it was the right decision for us. So. . . in a spare upstairs bedroom, we set up a crib, a little dresser, stocked a change table with supplies and retrieved an old rocking chair from the basement. It was a cute and cozy room. It would do nicely.
Meeting the Neighbours
Jacob and I began walkabouts with me pushing him in the stroller. Our neighbours got to know him; he got to know the neighbours. We’d stop at the park on the corner, and we’d swing and slide and eat a snack sitting on a blanket under a canopy of trees. He’d eat cheerios one by one and babble away in baby talk. I’d answer – just like I knew what he was saying. He beamed all the time. When he was tired, we’d head home for his afternoon nap. Sometimes, I’d sleep too.
Making New Friends
The two of us started drop-in, twice a week, gym and swim classes at the local YMCA. Jacob the toddler, delighted in climbing the monkey bars, sharing a massive, colourful parachute with the other kids and tumbling on soft, mushy mats. He ran everywhere he went, with that familiar, megawatt smile on his face. In the pool, there were noodles and toys and floaties to play with. We both had so much fun and made some new friends.
With our new friends in tow, we visited the zoo and the science center and played outside at the neighbourhood Birth Place Forest. The boys rode bikes or scooters down the front sidewalks. We had birthday parties and Halloween fun and watched hockey games. We ate ice cream together, while walking down the path by the river. In the hot, summer sun, Jacob and his buddies splashed and laughed and chased each other in and out of the backyard blow-up pool. Then, we’d sit on their damp towels by the boulevard under the giant poplar trees and count the cars driving by.
Preschool
On his first day of preschool, all dressed in new clothes with a tiny backpack slung over his shoulders, he posed for a photo in front of our garage door. He said,
“Grandma, I’m walking to school all by myself today.”
I burst his bubble when I told him it was too far away to walk. I’d have to drive him. From that day forward, and until his first day of grade 12, we have a photo of Jacob standing in front of our garage door. That became our yearly growth chart.
Unabashed Zest for Life
During trips to the skateboard park in the spring and summer, raking leaves into “jumping” piles in the fall, and building a backyard snow cave in the winter, Jacob has never failed to teach me something new. His unabashed zest for life, his buoyant attitude of always being “up for anything” and his love of nature, was contagious. His beaming countenance has never failed to touch my heart in a way that will remain with me until the day I die. I love him beyond words.
The Privilege of My Life
This year, Jacob turned 24 years old. With his mom, his dad, and his sister, the six of us spend time together, eating Sunday dinners or going to the movies or sitting outside at the lake. My bond with my grandson is unbreakable. I cherish all the hours we’ve spent together and look forward to all those hours still to come. Being with Jacob, being his grandma, is truly the privilege of my life. I would not change a thing.
Questions for You:
As a grandparent, what is your position on childcare for grandchildren? How do you cherish loved ones? Are your grandchildren a continuing part of your life?
