BACK TO SCHOOL MEANS BACK TO GRANDMA'S

BACK TO SCHOOL MEANS BACK TO GRANDMA'S

September is around the corner! Parents are touting their children around town shopping for school clothes, getting haircuts, fitting in the last doctor’s appointments, yah dah yah dah yah dah! Then, comes the phone call to mom and dad, “Hi Mom and Dad, I need your help with the kids again. School starts on Monday.” After a brief deadening silence, mom utters, “Ok.” What’s a grandparent to say, “NO?”

After the phone call grandma turns to grandpa and says, “I love my grandchildren, but I don’t think I can do all this again!”

The reality is that working parents today need help. The truth is that grandma and grandpa aren’t enjoying their retirement, home, visiting with friends, spending time in their gardens and tinkering in the garage as much as they could be. The bigger reality is that they raised you and they must wonder sometimes,” how did I get signed up for this job?”

So parents here are some things that can help ease the stress:

Buy the groceries that will make up the meals and snacks for your children. Grandparents are on a fixed income and shouldn’t be supporting two homes.

Allow time from YOUR schedule to prepare hot meals ahead of time that can simply be heated up. Grandma spent decades at the foot of the stove and sink. Do ya think she’s done?

Childcare should take place in your own home where everything is familiar and convenient. Little jelly finger prints and colorful juice spots on the rugs shouldn’t be in anyone’s house but yours.

Keep the childcare hours to a minimum. It may be necessary for grandparents to pick up children from school. However, don’t hesitate to recruit the help of a young responsible teenager or adult to take over. Yes, that would mean you’d have to pay them!

Time is money and grandparents generally don’t get paid. Fill up their gas tank weekly and throw in a car wash just because. After all they wouldn’t have to drive if you were home.

Offer to pay the cable bill, clean mom and dad’s house and mow the lawn as a “thank you.” Drive grandpa to a casino or take mom to have her nails done. Feeling appreciated is always a great way to keep a soft heart – soft and willing.

Structure is crucial. Let the children know there is a schedule. Snack time, homework time, play time. Don’t forget the good old “time out time!”

Children must be taught to respect their grandparents. Spend time teaching your children respectful manners. This is not a time in your parents’ lives to be challenging their blood pressure and testing their delicate aging hearts. This will also keep the last will and testament from being updated weekly.

Have a smile on your face when you come home. Don’t share the frustrations of your day. Rather, boast to them about how much you appreciate their help. Positive conversation encourages positive feelings and responses. Life is too short to be miserable, yes?

On your days off, give grandma and grandpa the day off. They need a vacation too!

Once you retire for the evening, and have put the little angels to bed, count your blessings. Now and then write them a nice note and maybe leave them a piece of their favorite candy. One piece is not going to send their blood sugar through the roof!

Life is what you make it. We only have each other today. Tomorrow is not promised. Makes yours happy and worthwhile!