I just love being Nana, and nothing is sweeter to my ears than hearing little voices shouting, "Nana, Nana, Nana!" When your own children are growing up and you are in the midst of parenting, experiencing all the ups and downs, you may occasionally wonder if it is all worth it. Well, being a grandparent is the big reward-- of course this is in addition to the reward we receive when each of our own children mature into loving adults.
Try as we may, we all make mistakes as parents, and at one time or another we feel as though we have come up short and not been the greatest parents around. We play the "what if" game in our minds. If only we had spent more time around the dinner table together, if only we had been more consistent at ready scriptures and praying together.....BUT NOW we get a second chance with our grandchildren! Their parents are in charge, of course, and at the end of the day our grandchildren go back to their homes, but I believe grandparents can have a great positive influence in the lives of these little ones. Since grandparents don't have to deal with the day to day, hour by hour, whining or fussing or tantrums of these little people, it is easier for us to spend a few hours here and there giving unconditional love and hugs. We can sit down and cuddle them while reading or telling them a favorite story. They can follow us around our houses and we can teach them skills with greater patience than we ever had with our own children. We have more time now in our lives so we can take them on dates and shopping and we can come to their games and recitals. We can teach them to pray and share our love of the scriptures and Jesus Christ with them. As we develop our relationships with them they seem less likely to blow us off than they might their mom and dad. We can watch them giggle and laugh their guts out, then take them back home when they are tired and cranky--what more could your ask for in life! Thanks, God, for second chances.
