Thoughts on Being a Grammie...

I've not posted since my Awards arrived in Wheaton (finally) on July 1. Jill's early morning flight out of Naples was canceled, and she was told -- too bad, so sad there are no more -- and rescheduled on Continental for Saturday afternoon, July 2. My type A, number one daughter is nothing if not persistent, and finally, after 3 agents and 3 hours with United, got one that spoke English (please someone, explain to me why United is outsourcing customer service to India???) and got her on a flight on Delta that got in Friday evening....just about the same time Torrey & Chris arrived....

It's wonderful having her and my two grandbabies here -- though they certainly aren't babies any more. I recently finished reading "The Granny Diaries....an Insiders Guide for New Grandmothers" and while I'm not a newbie at this, it did give me some food for thought.

Becoming a new grandmother is, in some ways, like becoming a new mother. It's untread territory....new waters to negotiate. And while it isn't as overwhelming as being a new mom -- and you get to go home at the end of the day -- there is much that gives you food for thought....

How much advice do you give? How much advice does your daughter/son/daughter-in-law/son-in-law WANT? What expectations do they have? Do they even have any expectations -- until you make a mistake and then they discover they DO have expectations?

One of the books I wish my own mother had written would have been about how to be a grandmother, but though I suggested it, she never got around to it. I clearly remember a conversation she and I had one day that went something like this:

Mother: Being a grandmother for you and Rosie (my next-down-sister) is certainly different.

Me: Yes? (Good open-ended question -- designed to elicit more information) What do you mean?

Mother: Well, if you want my opinion, you'll say something like, "I'm going to do thus and such. Whaddya think?" If Rosie wants my opinion, she'll say, "Oh, Mama. You raised four children. What do YOU think I should do about this situation."

Guess who Mother liked best??? :>D

Disclaimer -- my beloved sister is a southerner. They talk like that.

Me: Well, what about Rick? (My brother).

Mother: That is totally different because I'm dealing with a daughter in law, and I don't think I can talk to her the same way as I can my daughters.

Hmmmm. Lyn (youngest sister), was off the hook here because she wasn't even married yet, but I'd love to know what Mother would have said about being a grandmother to her children.

As you can tell, I've never forgotten what she said -- and it has really made me think. More about that later.

By the way, Mother was right on about our responses to her -- I'm a first, and pretty independent (Oh Jill, bless you....). Of course, Mother was a first too....

Rosie is a middle and the family peacemaker and smoother-over-of-rough-spots.

Lyn will say "I'm just like Jan, only less so, and just like Rosie only more so." Not that we really understand what that MEANS, exactly, but it sounds terrific.

Meanwhile, you need some pictures of my Awards.... The first two were taken at LegoLand in Chicago. The second one of Laura is during the family birthday - Torrey's, Deven's, Jill's, Laura's and mine. The second one of Deven is waiting for the parade on the fourth.