My eye caught a "Dear Annie" letter last week that absolutely floored me! Grandma was lamenting the fact that one of her college-aged grandchildren was ignoring all of her efforts to keep communications opened between them. Letters, emails, phone calls and a number of carefullly selected gifts, although received, were never acknowledged in any way. When grandma brought this ignorant behavior to the attention of her daughter, the ingrate's mother, grandma was told that "grandparents are not as important today as they were in the past." REALLY?
When a grandchild is born, who is it that comes to the aid of the young parents? Who drops whatever she's doing and spends countless hours changing diapers, preparing formula and bottles, attending to the mother's needs, and most of all walking the floors at all hours of the day and night trying to soothe a colicky baby? Who buys the most beautiful crib where the first-born's sweet dreams take flight?
And as each grandchild grows, who's there either in body or spirit beaming with pride as each grandchild accomplishes their greatest as well as smallest of goals?
Who is it that will pick up an ailing child from daycare because both parents are working just so they can have all the material junk their peers already have? After all, keeping up with the "Joneses" is more important than spending quality time each day with the children God so graciously blessed them with.
And speaking of dreams, who defers their own retirement plans to embrace the infant that was unfortunate enough to be brought into this world by a irresponsible, selfish crackhead and her equally immature, derelict of a partner? Who spends their Social Security check on shoes and clothes for the grandchildren instead of medicine and other necessities for themselves?
Grandparents are not as important today as they were in the past? REALLY?
I am a daughter. And I really envy my siblings who already have their own kids. My mother is just so busy with her grandkids. She loves them so much and talks about them all the time- How cute they are and how smart they have grown! She always has time for these little ones. Always!
ReplyDeleteHowever, whenever I think that my nieces and nephews are very lucky to have her, I realize how important grandparents are. They, all of them, including my siblings, will never survive without Mommy Lola (that's how they call my mom).
Perhaps, just like me! Therefore, grandparents are not just important, they are essential for survival and victory!