My younger daughter needed help. Of course, this Grandma volunteered to watch the two younger grandchildren for her. Nearly at the same time, two long (we never say old) grandma friends were also asked to help with their grandchildren. We compared notes.
The night before my flight, my daughter texted a picture of what happens when the two grandchildren are left alone for less than three minutes. In the picture, the six year old boy was pushing the three year old boy across the living room. The younger one was naked and on roller skates. She said they were both dressed when she left the room.
Not an auspicious beginning to a week of caring for grandchildren!
One of my grandma friends said she turned her back for less than a minute to grab a towel when her two and one year old grandchildren were in the bathtub. The older one pushed the younger, who ended up with a big bump on his head. We grandmas do not want our grandchildren hurt on our watch. With such responsibility comes the anxiety that one of the grandchildren can get hurt in a second.
This Grandma brought work to do and the Sunday New York Times to read during the week. It is now Friday, and I am packing to leave. I still have not yet read last Sunday’s New York Times. I have done none of the work I brought with me to do after the children went to bed. Caring for grandchildren makes this Grandma wonder how she had the strength to raise children.
The grandchildren were mostly very well behaved. They listened and they did what they are supposed to do at three and six. At approximately 6:38 am each morning, they were in my bed, ready to go, go, go, and go some more. One morning, I set my alarm to take a shower at 6:15 am before they awoke. I had fallen asleep two nights not showering because I was exhausted. I needed a shower! This early morning showering was not a good idea. I had locked the bathroom door and immediately heard banging and yelling. My daughter told me afterward that the shower is sure to wake them earlier! Who knew.
One of my long grandma friends said she fell asleep in her clothes one night and also found herself too tired to shower. She also had the two day unshowered grandma experience.
This Grandma prided herself on laying everything out the night before and having breakfast items ready to go. I was so efficient that the grandchildren were ready too early. This was a big mistake. Grandchildren fed and full of energy ran around the house in circles. Yes, I was dizzy. I quickly collected them and put them in their car seats with I pads and drove them around. Better contained than crazy – me, I mean.
I have not put on makeup all week. As a matter of fact, I have not washed my hair all week. My clothes are full of fingerprints and syrup stains. However, my daughter’s refrigerator is arranged perfectly (and out of date yucky items discarded), all of the laundry is done (folded and drawers arranged), the car (which was purely disgusting) is clean inside and out, as is the house. I do not do these things in my own house! My nails are a sight. My grandma friend said she sat on the leatherette couch at her grandchildren’s house and stuck. She spent one entire day washing the entire sectional and cleaning the crumbs out from under the cushions. She does not do these things at her house either. Her nails are a sight.
Speaking of nails, I have long manicured nails. After all, I do not have small children. Long manicured nails and small children do not go together. I am also mechanically challenged. I cannot open things, nor turn on the television with these new multiple remotes.
Fortunately, the six year old is competent. However, today, my last day “on the grandma job,” my nails almost caused a disaster. After putting the three year old in his ridiculously difficult to figure out car seat, the six year old pointed out that I had locked the three year old’s buckle backwards! He proceeded to tell me that the three year old was locked in his car seat forever! I wish I had been calm enough to take a picture of the three year old’s face! My first thought was that the three year old was being potty trained and if this took hours to rectify, there was a problem. My daughter later pointed out that he just would have gone in his pants and it would not be the first or last time.
My nails just could not work to unhook the car seat in an ordinary situation and were hopeless to try to reach inside his seat belt. Asking the three year old to hold in his belly was a useless effort. I drove over to his daycare and fortunately, but not easily, after someone more competent and with shorter nails intervened, he was finally free!
Now that all is in order in my daughter’s house, I have less than two hours to clean myself up and pack before I need to begin the afternoon and evening routine.
Remember, I said TWO other grandma friends were watching their grandchildren?
Well, I finally spoke to the other long grandma friend and shared some of our experiences. SHE had one thing to say – she has GRANDDAUGHTERS. Her hair and nails and body are clean and manicured – and so are the granddaughters.
Aha! This Grandma had two daughters. That is how this Grandma had the strength to raise children. And, although I am loathe to admit it, I was just a LITTLE younger too.
How I will miss these two delicious grandchildren when I leave.
Joy,
Mema
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