There is no one like a nonna to envelope you in a big mushy cuddle of love, and nothing like listening to a grandfather embellish stories from his youth . . . each adventure a little more daring, each win a little more triumphant at every retelling.
My kids are blessed to still have all four grandparents, and with each they share a different and unique relationship.
My paternal grandfather was an old bushie, a cattleman of the old school. Sadly for me he died before I was born, but I adore the stories of a stoic man who could pick a good steer with his eyes closed and the photos of him looking so comfortable on the back of a horse.
My maternal grandfather worked as a purser on a ship and apparently held the record for stuffing the most Minties in his mouth at once. We would hide together in the spare room of my grandparents’ house giggling as he dug out his secret stash. I was only four when he died so I never learnt the secret to such an important and handy skill.
More than three decades later, my children make their grandfather get down on his knees at one end of the hallway as they take a run up and launch themselves into his open arms. Sometimes they do a few laps around the kitchen as though the further they run the more force the hug holds.
With three grandparents living interstate, Poppy is the mainstay nearby. While Pa couldn’t be at all their sporting fixtures because he lives so far away, one of his roles has been as keeper of the family tree. He’s done an enormous amount of work to ensure his grandkids know of their heritage—something they probably won’t appreciate until they have children.
And while we can’t always be with distant grandparents, the birthday calls and Christmas cards make the distance seem smaller.
Those of us lucky enough to have known our grandparents usually have pretty special memories.
My kids have Nonna, who always arrives with lollies and a surprise hidden at the bottom of her suitcase. She cooks like only a grandmother can and spends hours on the floor playing and drawing. They have Poppy, who will happily kick a soccer ball in the backyard. When I start running short of time because dinner needs cooking or the children need bathing, Poppy has all the time and patience in the world. He is content to read the same story over and over again.
I had a grandmother who would let me watch her get ready to go to church or lunch with her girlfriends. I watched in awe as she chose her hat, gloves and purse to perfectly complement her outfit. She taught me to be a lady, always write thank you letters and keep my shoes polished.
My husband’s grandmother lived with him from when he was two. She played such a special and important role in his life. He always showed her his school photos and reports first, shared his happy and sad moments with her, and his earliest memory in life is crawling into her bed for a morning cuddle.
Now that I am a parent I appreciate the unique grandparent–child relationship even more.
I can see first hand how priceless that bond is to my children and what a light they are in the lives of their four grandparents.
And I recognise how priceless their grandparents are to me. I couldn’t do the daily shuffle without them. They are the first people I call when I need a hand. When John or I travel it’s usually one of the grandparents who moves in. My dad lives nearby and is more than happy to stay overnight as long as I cook him a half-decent meal. Food, and the thought of two little warm bodies crawling into his bed for an early morning cuddle, seals the deal.
I am completely relegated to second place when a grandparentarrives, but more than happy to be bumped down. Grandma’s cooking always tastes better than mine. She can convince the kids to eat anything. Meals I have tried serving for years suddenly become favourites. And the joy of a grandparent’s arrival always takes the pain out of a parent’s departure.
Studies even show that children who spend more time with their grandparents are not only kinder but smarter, performing higher in learning scores due to the extra one-on-one attention.
So if your children are lucky enough to still have their grandparents, treasure every moment, nurture their special bonds and always remember the Minties.