Been There, Done That, Doing It Again!

by Jody Worsham, All rights reserved for….I forget.

When the adoption worker recovered from my announcement that we planned to adopt six children, she asked “What do you see yourself doing when they are all grown?” I replied “I can’t imagine myself without children around.” Those prophetic words came true on April 13, 2005 when we adopted our one day old grandson and his three-year-old sister. Medicare, Social Security, and diapers. Oh, my!

According to the 2000 Census two and one half million grandparents, for whatever reason, found themselves once again in the full time role of parenting their grandchildren. I have now joined that group. Once you adjust to the idea that your golden years are going to be spent under the golden arches and any hopes of a having long uninterrupted conversations with your spouse will only happen either early in the morning before the children are awake, or in the evening just before you fall asleep, life will go on but with some adjustments.

At first you may feel that you are the odd duck, the oldest parent at PTA meetings, the only senior citizen with children tagging along at the AARP meetings, or finding you are the only person having to show court documents before the doctor will give your child immunization shots. But you will also find that you can knowledgably converse with a larger group of people on a wider range of subjects: Hannah Montana, the Jonas Brothers, the newest Mario Brothers DS video game, your state’s position on Medicare reform, what foods effectively reduce cholesterol, and where you were when Neil Armstrong landed on the moon. You fit in everywhere!

You will be amazed at the things you and the children will have in common. For example:
1. You both need naps or you will be cranky.
2. You both will enjoy Senior Citizen and children discounts at movies and fast food chains.
3. You can see the speed limit sign far away and they can see the speedometer up close so they can tell you if you are speeding before the nice policeman does.
4. You both have to have things repeated to you at times.
5. You both fall asleep during a movie.
6. You both need lots of potty breaks on long trips.
7. There is time for a thousand “whys?” to be answered with something besides a thousand “becauses”.
8. You take time for what is really important, smelling the flowers, watching the clouds, discovering a bug, and hugging tightly.
9. You both realize how important you are to each other and say so, often.
10. Hurry isn’t something either of you do.

I really couldn’t imagine my life without children. And now, I don’t have to. There is a reason they are called the golden years and sometimes the gold comes in the form of children who need you and whom you need just as much.