304 TIME II

“Grandparents enjoy most the company of their grandchildren. For with them, they experience the miracle of being 10 again.”

― Meeta Ahluwalia

Or in my case yesterday, five!

My smallest grandson, Mr. A was having some challenges in all-day kindergarten.

Back in my childhood, it was called “keeping your hands to yourself.”

That terminology has gone by the wayside for “safe hands.”

But regardless, after son and daughter-in-love received calls from his school and weekly progress sheets, and many parental talks, the problem just didn’t seem to be getting any better.

Grandma (me) was thinking – yes, we know that’s a dangerous prospect – about how much my grandparents’ approval meant to me when I was a child. So much that my parents could talk to me until they were blue, but a lecture from grandma and grandpa was the last thing that I wanted. It broke my little heart.

They went to great lengths to keep track of my little stubborn self. They also bribed me with ten dollars to memorize my multiplication tables in third grade. The bribe was accompanied with a lecture on how much I would use math later in life.

But for my grandparent’s lecture, bribe (I felt exceedingly rich when I received it for my valiant efforts), and risk of their disapproval I may never have memorized those pesky tables.

So a few weeks ago this grandma had a talk with Mr. A. at his sissy’s football game

We talked about how important it is to have safe hands and respect others’ space. It’s also just plain being nice to others when we keep our hands to ourselves. And – if he can succeed for one week, he can keep it up for much longer!

Mr. A. and I made a little deal. If he had no bad reports for one week, grandma would take him somewhere that he really wanted to go with just the two of us.

I am exceedingly proud to say that Mr. A succeeded for one week!

Our date was supposed to be last weekend, but my little buddy was sick so we had to reschedule.

However, when he finally got his much anticipated day with grandma, he had another week with no negative reports!

An excited Mr. A and his happy grandma went to a local restaurant that had a mix of free and paid arcade games. Grandma loaded up his card and we played nearly every game. He even won three or four games of Air Hockey!

Lunch was quick – there were games to play!

But Mr. A decided that school was more fun when he didn’t get into any trouble – and that was the point.

Time spent with my grandparents seemed magical to me when I was a child.

I am grateful to pass along some of that magic to my own grandchildren…

I think their parents are happy as well!

XO Lisa ❤️