THANK GOD FOR GRANDIES

I am in awe of all the grandparents out there doing their often unappreciated job of looking after their grandchildren. My role of grandchild carer has only recently been explored due to a three-week visit to Adelaide by my son and grandchildren who live in Japan. It was a wonderful three weeks full of beach outings, playgrounds, activities, cooking, playtime, stories, games, kicking a footy on the oval, family interactions, grizzling, asking for ice-creams, cleaning up messes, asking for M&Ms, piano practice, teeth brushing, potty training, morning greetings of 'Poppa, I'm here' from the top of the stairs, hilarious repartee from the 3-year-old, 'mature for her years' banter from the nearly 6-year-old, and so much more. We loved every minute of it but, by God, it was exhausting.

My son had come on his own with the children while his wife elected to stay behind due to work commitments. So dad (pappa) was the go-to parent for times when comforting was needed and the nightly falling asleep ritual. I had hoped that my son could take a night off and go with his brother to The Fringe which happened to be on in the city, however, we soon realised by the wailing and clinginess that there was no way the 3-year-old would be put to bed by anyone else but his pappa.

I have been volunteering at our library/community centre where we have been running an intergenerational playgroup on Friday mornings. The grandparents who attended were all caring for their grandchildren on a regular basis, while the parents went to work/had time off. One morning I observed the mother of one of the children enter the room and sternly tell the grandmother off for letting her child eat fruit because it had sugar in it. The grandmother was obviously distressed by the reprimand but nevertheless bit her tongue. I felt for the grandmother and decided that in her place I would not stand for that sort of chastisement, let alone the disrespect of the grandmother's choice to allow one piece of fruit when all the other children were having some.

Grandparenting is a precious role afforded to those lucky enough to have had children of their own. It deserves respect, fair treatment and gratitude and it certainly requires stamina and patience. Treated well, grandparents can provide a wealth of love, nurturing and support as well as another role model for the children.

So, let's hear it for all the Grandies out there. Grandparents have done their job bringing up their own children and generally love their grandchildren to bits, so let's not take them for granted and let's treat them with the utmost respect and gratitude when they selflessly care for their grandchildren.