The Joy of Being Grandma and Grandpa

Let's be honest. We (Baby Boomers) have never been great at admitting we are aging. From the moment we arrived on the scene, we had a mission, a vision, and a stubborn refusal to do things the way our parents did. We changed society so thoroughly that life today barely resembles the 1950s, and honestly, thank goodness for that.

But here we are. The first boomers are turning 80, and we are celebrating it. And somehow, miraculously, we still seem to think we are perpetually young. Denial is a powerful thing.

One role we never planned for? Grandparent.

As parents, we were determined to do things differently. More hands-on. More interactive. More "let's be friends" than "because I said so." The results were mixed,  some kids got great listeners, others got parents who never learned to say no, but one thing is clear: family unity mattered. Parenting wasn't just a job.To us, it was a mission.

Now, with the kids grown and the house quieter, we get to redefine what it means to be grandma and grandpa.

That word, grandparent, has always been a hard sell for a generation that spent decades fighting adulthood, let alone old age. But here's the secret: it's actually fantastic.

Children see grandparents differently. Not as rule-enforcers or homework-checkers. As the people who always have cookies, always have time, and always think they're wonderful, even when they're being ridiculous.

Sitting on granddad's lap, hearing his stories, or just enjoying his terrible jokes is the kind of memory that sticks for life. Grandkids don't care if you've slowed down a little. They care if you show up.

There was a book a while back called "If I Knew Being a Grandparent Was This Much Fun; I Would Have Done It First." That about sums it up.

Here's what grandchildren intuitively understand: we know things. Not because we are smarter. Because we have lived longer. We have made mistakes, survived heartbreaks, and figured out what actually matters. And somehow, coming from grandma or grandpa, that wisdom lands differently than from mom or dad.

Parents have to be teachers, disciplinarians, and rule-makers. We just get to be fountains of love with occasional good advice.

So yes, let us embrace the role. Bring the same passion we brought to everything else, the same commitment, the same love of family, the same refusal to sit quietly in a rocking chair. Our grandkids don't need us  to be young. They need us to be present.

And maybe bring cookies. That never hurts.