Growing up, I only had one grandparent, my mother's mother. All my other grandparents had passed away before I was born. I'm sure I was missing out on something by not having a grandpa's lap to sit on and not being able to have big breakfasts in Ella Lee's kitchen, but I never knew it because the grandma I had served up love and laughter in a quadruple dose.
She was what I think of now as an "old-fashioned grandma." She was raised on a farm, had long gray hair (which I loved to brush when I was a little girl), and she cooked the most amazing homemade food anyone had ever locked a lip on. She was also a very successful businesswoman. Most of that is in complete contrast to her now 71-year-old daughter -my mom-who can be seen tapping away at the computer keyboard and striding purposefully around the block listening to her mp3 player.
Times have changed, and so have grandparents. Grandfathers today run marathons, hike mountains, and drive sports cars. Has it lessened the time they spend with their grandchildren? I don't think so. A trend I have noticed and am pleased to see, is grandparents in high attendance at school functions and athletic events. They are there with their children to support their grandchildren. My own father accompanied his grandchildren and me to the first day of school. I know my grandma was one of my biggest fans, but I don't ever remember her coming to my school.
A lot of the time I spent with my grandmother was "down time." She read to me-until I was 4, and then I started reading to her. She taught me how to crochet and cook, and she made ice cream floats with vanilla ice cream and strawberry Shasta. Grandparents today are more active and energetic than they were 30 years ago, largely because of the advances in medical science that keep us healthier and living longer. These days you are more likely to see grandparents tooling down the highway, grandchildren in tow, off for a day's adventure at the zoo, state fair, or even a college football game. I know plenty of grandmas who have seen The Jonas Brothers in concert because of a devoted granddaughter.
It seems that grandparents have rolled right along with the changing times and adapted quite well.
There is a reason that there is a "grand" in front of that parent. They still bring love and laughter to their grandchildren. These are the people who are there for our kids when we can't be. They love them unconditionally, just like we do, and they spoil them rotten when we won't. It's what makes these parents GRAND!
