Growing up I did not have the privilege of having doting grandparents around. I never knew what I was missing out on till I had my own family. I now watch and marvel as my girls are showered with love and affection, gifts and copious amounts of sugar, cakes, puddings and sweets by their grandparents. We are lucky enough to have a *Granny Day* which is the favourite day of the week for the entire family! For me as a mom juggling family and work, I get to cram in a few extra work hours into the week, guilt free because I know my children are happy and having a blast with Granny! I get to do the errands that are never pleasant with 2 young children in tow (the grocery shopping, the post office, the bank etc.) – you know the ones I mean! I also escape the notorious suicide hour, no fighting about who is going to shower first or why they have to wash their hair or the ultimate “I’m a tired little bear!” that only Shiloh can do at that time of the day! And if there is any energy left at the end of granny day I get to spend some much needed time at the gym! I LOVE granny day!
For my girls granny day is a day of freedom – away from the rules and regulations, from mom nagging about all the things moms have to nag about! They look forward to granny’s many surprises. Each week we wonder what granny will have up her sleeve this week, whether it be a High Tea fit for a queen, a trip to Sancob to meet the penguins or a walk to the park, sewing or arts, and crafts with granny’s fancy scrapbooking equipment! Granny represents all things sugary sweet and good in life! My children adore her! And if that wasn’t enough, they wait there until their Yaya gets home from work! He brings a whole extra round of spoils and treats, money for china town, biltong, sweets and best of all Yaya’s famous frights at the door!
The girls get home clean, happy and fed (albeit with a little more sugar than normal)! So we as mom and dad can just play with them without having to rush around getting dinner done or kids bathed etc. We get to spend focused family fun just playing with our girls. This is truly priceless, especially in the middle of a busy week!
My girls also have the privilege of having an Avo (granny) and Pops in Durban. This brings a whole different kind of spoiling. They love the phone calls to share their news with their faraway granny and the excitement when their Durban grandparents come to visit or when they get to go on an aeroplane to visit them. Of course, the spoiling is the same just intensified and crammed into a week here and a week there instead of a weekly time! The best part of having grandparents living far away is receiving parcels of clothes, toys, lucky packets and even homemade cookies in the post! The girls go wild when we get the coveted slip in the post box alerting us to the fact that a care package from Avo and Pops awaits them at our nearest post office!!
Yes, grandparents are amazing and we should all take time this grandparents day to make them feel as loved, special and cherished as they make us and our families feel every day!
*GRANDPARENTS*
Grandparents bestow upon their grandchildren
The strength and wisdom that time
And experience has given them.
Grandchildren bless their Grandparents
With a youthful vitality and innocence
That help them stay young at heart forever.
Together they create a chain of love
Linking the past with the future.
The chain may lengthen,
But it will never part…
~Author Unknown~
Happy Grandparents Day everyone!
Lourdes xoxo
