Tuesday 8 April 2014

Grandest of 'em all - Grandparents


Do you know why children and their grandparents are so close to each other? Because, they have a common enemy!

That's what someone said. And it pretty much sums up the relationship between the two.
Source : Google Images

Source : Google Images
How nice is it to be pampered by two or more sets of grandparents. Favourite snacks and toys, no strict bedtime, plenty of stories, so much of monkeying around, cousins galore, all play and no studying. And if the parents try to throw a spanner into the fun activities, the grandparents are around to come down on them quite heavily. Now that is sheer heaven, isn't it? And oh, did I forget to mention gifts? Often times when kids are scolded by their parents, they run to the grandparents seeking comfort and to complain. Kids are more comfortable sharing their thoughts with them, because grandparents listen to them with so much patience.

For a grandmother, the grandchildren are always skinny, no matter how chubby they really are. So, the endlessly supply of favourite goodies to munch on. The pleasure they derive from being with the grandchildren is something can be seen and sensed. They don't mind getting down on their knees (no matter how painful it is to do so) to be an elephant for the grandchild to ride on. They match babystep for babystep with their grandchild when he/she wants to go for a walk on their chubby little baby legs. They carry them cheerfully in their arms even if it tires them and physically pains them to do so. The pride with which they introduce the little one(s) to their friends is a sight to behold.

Source : Google Images
Source : Google Images
They enjoy when the grandchildren chide them while playing games, the rules of which, they have no clue about. They don't mind looking silly when they enact animals, or do some role play, making wierd faces and sounds as long as it makes the child laugh. They also impart wisdom to the kids in a very patient manner, a patience which is sometimes not exhibited by parents themselves. When the kids reach school going age, they drop the kids to school and pick them up, listening all the time to the chatter of how the day at school was. They know most of the child's friends by name and through what they did or didn't do, though they had not met the friends in person. They wipe away the child's tears and empathize with him/her. 

Source : Google Images
During my childhood days, many of my friends used to excitedly say that they were off to their granny's house for summer vacation or Dasara vacation. Then, after the vacation, on the first day of  the school re-opening, when we were asked to write a short essay on how we spent our vacation, these kids used to boast that they had a wonderful time at their granny's place eating their favourite snacks, climbing trees, picking fruits off trees, lazing around reading story books, playing with the cousins who were also spending their vacation there, you know, generally getting pampered.

I used to envy them because, you see, one set of grandparents had passed on when I was very, very young and the other set, well, we all stayed together. So, I did not have a "granny's" house to go to, like my friends. We used to spend our vacations in different uncles' and aunts' houses, getting pampered, lazing around, reading comics, visiting touristy places near-by, woken up early in the mornings for yoga practice, spending time by the river, climbing hillocks, getting gifts, listening to ghost stories in the dark, playing badminton & carrom board, listening to music. Only when I outgrew that phase did I realize that it was good that our grandparents and us, all lived together. From what I remember of my grandparents, which is not much, I know that they encouraged education, believed strongly in hard work, in integrity, in building & maintaining good relationships. I also realised later on that we kids didn't have to have a granny's house to have fun. We enjoyed being at our aunts' or uncles' houses having fun no less than my friends had or maybe even more.

Blessed are those who had or have caring grandparents.

I sometimes wonder how it would be, if my grandparents were still around now.

So, where did / do you spend your summer vacation? Granny's place?





This is for the A-Z Challenge 2014.


Here are some of my fellow bloggers:

http://www.ananyatales.com/ - Ananya Tales
http://swatisays.wordpress.com/Swati Nitin Gupta










36 comments:

  1. You truly have captured the essence of the warmth of being in our grandparents' house! ! Unbeatable! !

    ReplyDelete
  2. nice one, it took me back to my childhood, as well made me envy my nephew who enjoys all these right now with my parents..:-).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for dropping by, Anicca. Oh yes, I too envy all those who enjoy theirr time with GPs. :) Lucky them!

      Delete
  3. For sometime, we did stay in our granny's place...maternal. And as we all lived in the same city, it way Mysore for vacations for us where a sizable number of uncles and aunts lived. Memorable!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ahhhh there truly can be a special relationship between kids and their grandparents. My maternal grandfather was a WONDERFUL man, and would always nod and smile at my mum's list of instructions when he came to babysit, and as soon as she was out of the door - "well we won't be doing any of THAT"

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sounds like your grandfather was great fun to be with. Going against the "set" rules. :)

      Delete
  5. aaah ! Prathima u made me all nostalgic lady. Remembered my summer holidays totally ! I dont have my grand parents now. One granny- I lost her when I was in 1st std. Have only faint memories. All others expired in diff time zones. I missed them most on my wedding day
    Thanks for this post

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Finally, memories are all that remain, Afshan. As long as those bring a smile on your face, that's all that matters, isn't it? Loved ones will always be missed on our important days.

      Delete
  6. I didn't get to spend much time with my grandparents, since they were in the hometown and we here, in Delhi. In the last years of my maternal grandma, I started to know her more. And regret the times I didn't get to spend with her! This made me emotional and nostalgic!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. At least you got to spend time with your maternal grandma in ehr later years. You have those memories to cherish, Rinzu :)

      Delete
  7. It is said that grandchildren are the interest on the principal ( children ) .And since interest is more dear than the principal,grand kids & grandparents are a great combo !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's an interesting analogy, Vasudha! :)

      Delete
  8. Like you, I didn't spend too much time with my grandparents either. Two of them had passed away and two were physically very far. Today, I have the satisfaction of seeing my kids' relationship with my parents and in-laws.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glad that your kids are building nice memories of their childhood spent with their grandparents.

      Delete
  9. Ohh you made me miss my grandmother :(...but then good posts do that no?

    Random Thoughts Naba

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hope you have a great time with your grandma when you meet her next, Nababita. You can tell her that you missed her. :)

      Delete
  10. I have spent many a summer holiday at our maternal grandparents' place :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh how I loved this. One set of my grandparents lived a mile away! And one set lived in Washington DC! We were in NY--not too far. I got totally spoiled and remember my extraordinary grandparents with great love--they were amazing, I am happy to say I have three grandsons now of my own now ! I am very lucky! jean :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Jean! You are one lucky lady. :)

      Delete
  12. LOL for the first line. Loved your post. Though I never saw my grandparents but my kids have a lot from each side and I am enjoying their childhood with them :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Sfruti :) You are having all the fun now, which is still good :)

      Delete
  13. You sent me off on a trip down memory lane Prathima. I spent every single summer vacation at my Maternal Granny's house. The fun all of us cousins had! Oh those were the days!

    Loved, loved, LOVED this nostalgic post.

    Dagny

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you once again Dagny! And my pleasure that this post evoked such fond memories. :)

      Delete
  14. That is such a heartwarming post. Thanks for bringing back lovely childhood memories. Good luck with the rest of the challenge!

    http://themagicquill.blogspot.in/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for dropping by, for your kind words and yoru wishes, Aarthi! All the very best to you too. :)

      Delete
  15. Such a heart warming post :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for visiting and your kind words, Kajal!

      Delete
  16. I can totally identify with this post.. Not for the vacations, but for the fact that I was lucky enough to have my granny around all my life (until she passed away) and nothing can replace those years.. secretly cook things that you like, protect you from the wrath of ur parents, take your side when it comes to wanting support, trips to the temple, etc etc.. :-) i have very fond memories of my grandparents.. Thank you for this wonderful post !! :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My pleasure Ravi. :) Yes, you certainly are very lucky to have your granny for most part of your life and such lovely memories.

      Delete
  17. I used to go to my grandparents' house during vacations. It was so much fun. Miss those times now.

    ReplyDelete
  18. ahhh how true, you have captured the emotions so well....nostalgic :)

    ReplyDelete