Parenting & the Joys of Being a Grandma

My daughter and her son have temporarily moved in with us since they found mold growing almost everywhere in their apartment. We have an uninhabited 2nd floor with 2 bedrooms, a bathroom and a sitting area. It's temporarily perfect for them.

This morning, the above young boy, was whining about going to school. He had a snow day on Monday, he came home from school sick on Tuesday, he made it through an entire day on Wednesday and thought it was time for another day off on Thursday.

His mother scolded him and told him to get dressed. "I don't wanna." A disagreement ensued with Owen being grounded from the computer and being helped into his school clothes.

Beth went back to her preschool preparations and Owen came in to see me and get some comforting. So fun to get cuddles from a sad little boy. He thought his clothes were stupid, his shoes were too small, his socks were too big and school is absolutely unnecessary. I gave him a pep talk saying school is like a job. I go to work every day, he goes to school everyday. His reply, "But you can quit your job. I can't quit school."

Beth and Owen were both in better moods when it was time to leave for school and I was feeling good about bonding with my favorite grandson. Being a grandma is a lot less work than being a mom. I thank God that Owen has a mom who disciplines him in love leaving me to just enjoy him.

From Beth's past:

First day of Kindergarten, August 1987 - "You told me that you said a prayer the night before school started: 'I pray, I pray, I pray - please make me sick for school tomorrow.'"

Then in September of 1989 - "You're already getting tired of going to school. It's mostly going to bed early so you can get up early and doing homework. You told me, 'When I grow up I'm going to be President and I'll make a law that kids only have to go to school one day a week." You still looked disgruntled and shook your head and said, "No, only one day a year!"

Owen comes by his love of school naturally.

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