Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

If we lived with you, would you spoil us?

By Karen Best Wright, Holistic Health & Wellness Educator

www.RaisingYourGrandchildren.com

With having my granddaughters for a week during the holidays, I have planned several things to do to keep us busy, including shopping for a New Year's Eve party. Tonight after getting home from shopping, my 11 year-old granddaughter (one of the ones who lived with me for 6 years and 8 months) asked, "If we lived with you again, would you spoil us for a little while and then stop spoiling us?" I was first taken back in surprise, then I chuckled and said, "Well, I would probably spoil you a little bit and yes, I would definitely stop spoiling you. I'm not sure what prompted the question, but I wanted her to be assured that I really hadn't changed very much. Living the grandmother role versus the mother role is definitely easier when it comes to living everyday life.

Karen Wright
A grandmother in live with her grandchildren

www.TheWellnessWay.org

Decorating for Christmas without the Children

By Karen Best Wright, B.S.

www.RaisingYourGrandchildren.com

My grandchildren have been back with their mother for more than 2 years now, and this is the first Christmas since they left that I actually put up Christmas decorations. I really am no Scrooge, but for the past two years, decorating was just not a priority. This year I have been motivated to at least decorate some. The girls will be visiting me between Christmas and New Year's. If they came and saw absolutely no Christmas decorations, they might be concerned and wonder what happened to me. Usually, I go overboard on the decorations. But this year, I am starting small, but it a step in the right direction (according to my standards).

I bought a 3' tree and placed it on an antique trunk in front of my front window. I keep the middle blinds open so the pretty lights can be seen from the road. In the spare room that faces the street, there is one lone electric candle in the window with the blinds open. Plus, there is a wreath on the front door, and I must not forget my 3' doll dressed in a red velvet holiday dress. Other than that there are few decorations in my house. What is fascinating is the fact that because I have a large mirror that hangs over my piano, the lights on the little tree reflect through the venetian blinds, making the tree look much larger from the outside.

So while my decorating has been drastically downsized this year (many decorations were given to some of my children), I wasn't even sad decorating alone. I must be making progress.

Karen Wright, Holistic Health & Wellness Educator

a grandmother in love with her grandchildren

www.TheWellnessWay.org

The smile of a grandchild!

By Karen Best Wright, B.S. Holistic Health & Wellness Educator

www.RaisingYourGrandchildren.com

Tonight I took my 8 year old grandson to his holiday school performance. His parents were unable to go, so I got the wonderful opportunity to take him. After taking him to his classroom to prepare for the performance, I made my way to the auditorium, found a seat, and waited for the 2nd graders to arrive. After they all maneuvered into their spots on stage, I crept to the front and sat on the floor with some others, so I could get some pictures. I watched my grandson as he scanned the audience, earnestly looking to find me. I waved my hand a little trying to get his attention. He looked like he was desperately trying to find me. Eventually, when he saw me, his big smile lit up his face. I was so touched, I thought I was going to cry sitting right there on the auditorium floor. I took several pictures and crept back to my seat.

I won't ever forget how his face lit up with his beautiful smile when he saw my reassuring wave and smile sent back to him. There was just something magical in that moment. Having his eyes searching for me in the audience and then beaming with satisfaction once he found me, will always be cherished, never to be forgotten.

Karen Wright

a grandmother in love with her grandchildren

The Wellness Way

www.TheWellnessWay.org

 

How old I look depends on the person doing the looking.

By Karen Best Wright, B.S.

www.RaisingYourGrandchildren.com

When I was raising my 3 granddaughters, everyone assumed I was their mother, unless we told them differently. I was 49 when they came to me. I was a young looking 49 year-old. The 6 years and 8 months I raised them, continued that way. However, I have found it interesting that now that I am 58, whether I look like their grandmother or mother depends on the age of the person doing the judging. The girls are now 9, 11, and 13. When they are with me now and the person asking is a generation younger than I am, I get asked, "Are these your grandchildren?" If the person is older than I am, she might say to my 9 year old granddaughter who is snuggled up next to me in an elevator, "You sure like to snuggle next to your mom, don't you."Now all of that is not totally accurate. A couple of months ago while visiting my grandchildren, I picked them up from the bus. My 11 year-old granddaughter's friend asked her, "Is that your mom." Oh how I wish. Don't get me wrong. I do love being her grandmother.

My point I guess is that, as long as I keep my hair colored, my make-up on perfectly, and wear cute clothes AND mostly talk to women older than myself, I might still get mistaken for being Mom rather than grandmother.

I admit, it does my self-esteem good when someone tells me that my daughter and I look like we could be sisters. Flattery sometimes goes a long way. However, I freely tell people that I have 8 grown children. I tell them I started having children at age 8 (no not really).

Karen Wright, B.S. Holistic Health & Wellness Educator

www.TheWellnessWay.org

www.SeniorPro.com