Tom and his wife recently hosted their daughter and her two children for a couple of weeks. The older grandson is 3; the younger just a baby. The latter child did what infants do – cried, destroyed diapers, drooled and spit up. The 3-year-old was a different story. Tom offers some recollections and advice to you granddads and granddads-to-be.
Where has all the patience gone?
First, it is ironic that dealing with a 3-year-old takes an incredible amount of patience, exactly at that time of life for gramps when the patience fuel gauge is close to empty. Gramps, you must shift into another gear, perhaps one that was not standard equipment when you were built. You must find the inner strength to stop, take several deep breaths (be careful that you don’t get too dizzy, fall over and break a hip) and accept the fact that you will have to adjust your speed to accommodate your 3-year-old. He or she will run, walk backwards, roll on the floor – all the while leaving picture frames and stand-up lamps where they weren’t.
Watch your scratchin’
Your 3-year-old grandchild will imitate your worst habits and speech. Watch what you say in her presence, and do not scratch inappropriately or even come close to picking your nose. Your sweet grandchild is a sponge, a mirror and a voice recorder. Your sins will be etched into the memory of your 3-year-old, and he will give you credit for every indiscretion of which he is accused.