Grandparenting
Blame it on "Face"
...The saga of Face began with the idea of preparing
my granddaughter for a new sibling. I thought an
imaginary friend could help Bri practice sharing and
cooperative play. I had no idea my teaching method
would end up demonstrating that both two-year-old
children and sixty-year-old grandfathers have a
similar capacity for jealousy and
blame...Complete
essay available upon request
A Fresh Look at Life
...Fortunately, one of the best sources of positive
emotional experiences for adults comes from looking
at life through the eyes of children. It turns out
that our own children and grandchildren are one
source of the very thing we need to give them what
they need. That comes in handy when our own zest for
life is depleted. I’ve found some things in life that
no longer excite me or hold my interest can regain
some of their original freshness and luster if I view
them through the eyes of a child...Complete
essay available upon request
Computers are People, Too
“Me-maw” lives in a box in my garage. Of course, that
doesn’t make much sense unless you know that my
grandmother, whom I called “Grams,” was renamed
“Me-maw” by her great grandchildren. Please don’t
call 9-1-1. My grandmother is not —I repeat,
not—living in a box in my garage. She passed
away in 1986, having lived 89 blessed years on this
earth, leaving a legacy for which I am exceedingly
grateful. Of all her gifts to me, I’m particularly
glad that Me-maw: 1) gave birth to a son, so I could
have a father 2) taught me real Coke and
real butter taste better than their
imitators, and 3) left her family with a crazy sense
of humor which helps us keep things in perspective,
and enjoy life a lot more...Complete
essay available upon request
A Gift from Grandma
...I remember well how my mother viewed this
extravagant purchase as a sign Grandma was losing her
reasoning ability—“lost her marbles” is probably the
expression she used in private. Why, out of all the
wonderful things at the redemption store, after
months and months of saving green stamps, would
anyone in their right mind choose to buy toenail
clippers, then give them as a gift?...Complete
essay available upon request
