Grandma’s hand games When my second grandson was born, I was fortunate to have the time and opportunity to spend a week with my daughter and her two beautiful boys mere weeks after the baby arrived. I got to hug and squeeze both boys, bottle-feed the baby, and entertain the three-year-old.
I also got to help my daughter when she took the boys to their very first dual well-exam by the pediatrician.
The three-year-old went first, having ears, eyes, nose and reflexes checked. I held, rocked and cuddled my newborn grandson while the first-born was examined and Mom covered questions from the doctor.
Then they switched. Baby was examined and I was to entertain the three-year-old. Not as simple as one would think. After waiting for the doctor, then seeing the doctor, my grandson was more than ready to hit the road instead of waiting on his brother.
To the rescue came none other than…my hands. No treats packed in my packets, no games pulled from my purpose. I resorted to the oldest of tricks for keeping my toddler grandson occupied: hand games.
While his baby brother underwent his first doctor’s visit, my grandson and I first played an impromptu, completely-made-up-on-the-spot game I called hand tower. I put out a hand, palm down; my grandson topped it with his; then I topped it with my other; he did the same; then we continued topping one another until the giggles set in and we had to settle down. Three minutes of activity with zero prep required.
Next up was thumb wars. I taught my grandson the pre-battle litany: “One, two, three, four, let’s have a thumb war.” Then I showed him how to do a quick take-down of his Gramma’s thumb. He quickly became a pro-wrestler—as long as his opponent didn’t care too much that his plan of attack included using not just his thumbs, but all fingers…on both hands.
The thumb-wars lasted the duration of the doctor’s visit. We played again a few times during my visit. And the next time he saw his grandpa, he was sure to show him what a champion he’d become at the do-anywhere game Gramma had taught him.
As a Girl Scout Leader, I learned to be prepared. As a grandma, I’ve learned to teach my grandchildren something memorable. That day with my grandsons at the doctor’s office, I learned it’s not too difficult to do both together. All it takes is two hands…a grandma’s hands.
My thanks to Granny Nanny for writing this wonderful article. Please visit her website http://grannynannynews.com
Both our son and our daughter gave birth to their children almost at the same time. Fifteen months ago, they made us grandparents twice in the space of ten days. I truly don’t think it was on purpose, but given their competitiveness, it isn’t out of the realm of possibility. Every so often we are asked how our son feels about our granny-nanny role with his sister’s child. Here’s some background:
Our son, the first-born, had been “dethroned” by his sister when he was four years old. He may have forgiven us, but I don’t think he ever forgave her – either for her birth or for her easy-going nature. Even though comparisons were never ever overtly made, their differences in temperament and behavior were obvious to them both. If we had it to do over again, I don’t think we would wait four years to have a second child, and we would find a more constructive way to deal with our son’s high strung nature.
Our daughter tried to make him her friend. She looked up to him and would have done anything to win him over. Now, as an adult, she will no longer tolerate being rebuffed, so she no longer tries that hard. As their relationship stands now, they seem to be in silent competition with one another, even though they get along better than they did as children. My son has shown great affection for his new nephew, and my daughter, for hers. So, I am hopeful that long after we’re gone, sister and brother will grow into forgiveness and realize the importance of one to the other.
So how does our son feel about our three-day-a-week granny-nanny service to his “competitor’s” son?
Right now, he’s just OK with it. In the beginning, not so much; especially since my brother-in-law, ignorant of the family dynamic, teased my son with, “I guess they love Michelle more.” The look on my son’s face betrayed his wounded heart while my brother-in-law shrank back in horror as he realized the hurt he had unwittingly exposed.
Our son is well aware that it was his decision to move far away, negating our ability to help with childcare. He also knows that my commitment to him, when I agreed to be office manager at his satellite dental office nearby, was not compromised in any way as I took on the role of granny-nanny for his sister. In his logical mind, he knows we love him and would do anything for him; his actions and words throughout the years give credence to that belief.
But emotions can trump logic. Knowing this, we bend over backwards as we commit ourselves to make up for whatever was lacking or perceived as lacking in our son’s childhood, much as he, most likely, bent over backwards striving to exceed the perceived accomplishments of his “competitor.”
