There is a reason why grandchildren are called grand. The meaning of grand includes the following: magnificent, imposing, impressive, awe-inspiring, majestic, monumental; stately–plus.
My wife and I have enjoyed watching and interacting with our 16 grandchildren, both while being born and growing up to adulthood. The meanings of grand (above) describe how we feel about the blessings derived from our grandchildren. Watching and helping them grow up has been majestic and to see them find a loving companion and start the cycle all over. Now we have had added to that 16, 23 great grandchildren and that number is still growing with three more due this year. Because we know how important grandchildren are to grandparents, we try to take a backseat as the ‘great grandparents,’ and enjoy watching the grandparents take pride in their children’s children. Besides, we don’t have the energy we once had when our grandchildren were young.
As our six children grew, married and started families, we invited them to come back home every Sunday for family get togethers. Mother (Grandma) would have a big meal ready, and Dad (Grandpa) would have the yard all primped for those events, often getting help from children or grandchildren. There were basketball, other games, nature walks around the neighborhood and discussions, etc. Everybody had a great time and looked forward to the next week. When we turned seventy plus years old, we decided to move to a beautiful apartment complex with a large social room. Because we could only schedule that once each month, our family get togethers are now a monthly occurrence.
However, those of our children who have grandchildren, are now having their children over to their homes for get togethers, often once a week, as we did. The family tradition continues where it can, as they all remember how important family and family togetherness is.
During those days as a younger man, (a younger grandfather) I remember the joy it was to have a Sunday afternoon walk around the neighborhood with my grandchildren. There were questions and new discoveries and many came back to the house with pockets full of special rocks or sticks that had a funny shape. Curious and excited grandchildren were often heard to say: Grandma or Grandpa, “Look what I found!” or “Look what I can do!” They would chase each other all over our acre lot, running through the trees laughing and screaming. In the Winter time they would sleigh down the sloped backyard and come in for hot chocolate with red, cold faces and their clothes full of snow. Grandma would have them make gingerbread houses and decorate them real fancy. Sometimes a picture puzzle would come out and several would be working on that. Grandmother and I would always try to spend a little time with each of the grandchildren by themselves to tell us how well they were doing in school and what they were interested in. Very often we were celebrating a birthday and grandmother would have a cake with candles to be blown out. Then the song.
We would all sing happy birthday, a song with some variation, ending with; “and many more on channel four” or some such funny addition. As the family grew, it would often be a double, even triple birthday event. The older kids would compete to see who could find the funniest birthday card that fit the one celebrating. The older boys would chase the younger birthday child around to give them a birthday spanking. There would be squealing and laughing all through the house. When I retired at 62, I added to the house to accommodate the growing family get togethers and I built an indoor playhouse on the upper floor. It was big enough for about four children to get into but the kids would often try to get everyone in it, stacked one on top of the other.
I don’t know how anything could compare to the happiness and love that came from family get togethers. Our children and grandchildren will probably be talking about those family times together long after we have gone to the other side. There is no greater responsibility that parents have than to maintain a close and loving family, and frequent family ‘get togethers’ is the best way to do that. Why? Because families are forever.