March 2017 - Ordinary Grandma

Who are your parents?

My 4 year old grandson has been asking me lately, ” who are your parents?” When I explain to him who they are and that they have both died, his response is “why”?

I have a wonderful book that my brother Kelly gave me for Christmas a couple of years ago that a cousin had put together about my grandparents. Nyxon had seen the book, and started asking me a lot of questions about my parents and my grandma and grandpa. I was showing him in this fun book the pictures of my grandmother, grandfather, my mother and my father. He had so many questions about them and where they are. I have explained to him many times that my grandma and grandpa and my mother and father have died and that I’m an orphan. He then proceeded to ask me what an orphan is which I proceeded to explain to him. He has asked me about being an orphan many times , and we have had some fun discussions. Now you would think that a 4 year old wouldn’t be bothered by such a topic, but this sweet boy has so many questions. So our last conversation about me being an orphan and not having a mom or dad was kind of funny.

Nyxon: “Who’s going to be your mommy and daddy”?

Me: “Well, I’m big now and have my own family that I am a mommy too.”

Nyxon: “Well, you can have my mommy and daddy for your parents, and Grandma Shauna can be your grandma (this is his grandma on his moms side) then you will have some and you won’t be an orphan.”

Children have a simple solution to everything. In his simple yet hard working mind, he figured it all out. He hasn’t asked any questions lately, so he may just think he has solved my “problem”.

I love that he asks lots of questions. I love that he thinks things through. I love that he tries to find a solution so nothing is missing or out of place. I hope he always uses his mind to find solutions to problems along his way.

I love playing games with my grandchildren

I LOVE playing games with my grandchildren. Sometimes it’s a challenge for everyone to play the same games, but we manage. My 8 yr old granddaughter Ady loves, loves, loves to play games, and is really good at understanding the rules. I spent a weekend not long ago tending 3 of my granddaughters while there parents had a weekend away. I took a new game up to their house with me, and taught them how to play it. We played Blokus, Headbandz and a game about the states. Ady’s pretty good with games, and enjoys beating me. We played the Headbandz game until we had exhausted ALL the game cards. A couple of weeks later, they came down to my house to stay for a couple of hours, and I got some of my games out. We played Yahtzee, Rack-o (one of my grandsons Nyxon calls it Morocco), Connect 4 and Race to the Treasure. Even the 4 & 5 year olds like to play some of these games. I treasure every minute I spend with my grandchildren, and like to listen to what they have to say. l I have learned that Ady has to be singing a song while she concentrates on playing games. I don’t even think she knows she is singing, but her perfect little voice is so cute to listen too. I have learned that Lainie plays for a few minutes, then is off doing something else. I have learned that Nyxon likes to shuffle the Rack-O cards his way (they end up every which way) and that is OK. He also plays by his rules. However, they are learning. They are learning rules, they are learning how to take turns, and they are learning how important relationships are. They are learning in life you don’t always win, or always get your way. These are all good life lessons that will help them throughout their life. I will always have time to play games, read books, or just plain talk to my grandchildren about whatever it is they need to talk about.