Sunday Conversations: The Wisest of Them All

Children are hilarious and wonderful, little gems to have conversations  with at any time. The conversations with children are most always filled with wonder and, sometimes, enlightenment.

As parents, I think we take these moments for granted. Sure we laugh, share the hilarity with our friends and family on occasion, but we never seem to really take the magnitude of the exchanged words for all their value.

As grandparents, the conversations take on a whole different meaning. Children look at their grandparents just a bit differently than their parents. Parents are the ones who might know the answer to their questions, whereas grandparents, well, we seem to be elevated to the status of the know all and be all of answerdom. I suppose it has to do with their perspective on age. If we were smart enough to live to our ripe old ages, then we must have learned a lot, therefore, know everything there is to know about everything. It's rather endearing if you ask me.

To children, especially the tiny tots, we are the 'wisest of them all', right? Wrong! Not anymore. As grandparents get younger in society, we are slowly being pushed aside by a much grander, older, and perceived wiser group: The Great-Grandparents.

Now, I love my mother with all my heart and soul, but she's not fooling me with that sweet, old lady act. I know she's in on the conspiracy with the others of her age - and they aren't all that old, so they have years to reap the rewards of their efforts.

The great-grandmas have baking skills, unrivaled since the dark forest gingerbread house incident, in Germany, a few centuries ago. They have oodles of collected remnants of days gone by, consisting of buttons, ribbons, gift wrap, yarn, string and a host of other crafty endeavors, and they have the most important weapon: Time.

What about the great-grandpas? Yes, they are in on the conspiracy as well. They have stories. Stories to mesmerize even the great-granddaughters. As cohorts to the great-grandmas, they also have the ability to take said remnants and make stuff with them; cool stuff. They too have time on their side.

So, what's a grandparent to do? How can we compete with that? There's always The Home, but that won't work because then the grandparent becomes the bad guy. No, we don't want that. We can't keep buying the grandkids, or the great-grandparents win again; we will be broke by the time we become of a certain age. See there is wisdom with age.

This doesn't have to happen. We can all get along, right? We can share the grandkids, like adults. Can't we?

Of course we can. Kids aren't pawns in a game of chess and most certainly shouldn't have to feel like they are on a perpetual carnival ride. All we have to do is LOVE them. That's all they really want; to be loved.


Kids are funny, hilarious and most oftentimes, the truth really does come out of the mouths of babes. For example, my 4 year old grandson said to me: "I love you, Grandma. Even if you don't buy me stuff. But, I really wanna be Spiderman for Halloween."

"I love you too, Little Man," I replied. And then promptly went out to buy him his Spiderman costume; so he can trick or treat in it at his great-grandma's house. Sometimes, grandparents just don't learn the whole lesson.

So the next time you are in front of the mirror chanting, "Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the wisest of them all?" Don't be surprised if the face of your grandchild appears.

Happy Halloween! Have a great week!