The Grandparent Clause

I am writing from home this week, and I have chosen a topic which might be of interest to everyone. Some of us are fortunate enough to have grandparents, though I am afraid that many of us miss out on the joy and the complete family feeling that elders bring to the table. I myself did not get to meet both my grandfathers, for they had passed a long time before I was born. I did meet both my grandmothers, though I have few memories of them both. I myself am a grandfather five times over, and my eldest grandchild has already reached adulthood.

The origin of the word grandparent has intrigued me. Doing a little research, I found that the word has roots in the French language, where “grandsire” and “grandame” were commonly used. The word Graunde, from the French, is the closest link, the word itself being associated with English words like elder or old. The word grandparent became common usage in the latter part of the 16th century, and its variants, like Nana and Papa, are certainly more colloquial.

I don’t know if you will agree with me that there is something “ grand” about being a grandparent. The word certainly carries a modicum of pride, not simply because a family name is kept current. The birth of a child usually brings much joy and satisfaction, and, I guess that joy is carried over beyond the parents. To have a grandchild nestle on your shoulder, is something that every grandparent desires; not only that, the elder always pampers the little one, giving into whatever the infant desires.

As I have said already, I have five grandchildren, and my recent visit to England brought me into contact with four of them. My 18 year old grandson is well on the way to becoming a guitar maestro, while my granddaughter is showing great skills in language acquisition. My next grandson, just 10 years old, surprises everyone with his culinary skills, while the next, all of eight years of age, shows very definite signs of becoming a computer wizard. What more could any grandparent need or want?

Hold on, I said I have five grandchildren. Unfortunately, the last grandson, a toddler, stays far away from where I live, and so there is little or no chance of being close to him.

Wherever and whenever possible, every child deserves to have the love and support of his/her grandparents. I say this in all humility, because the child needs the closeness of family to blossom into a full grown human being. I can only hope that my dreams and wishes come true.

Nana and Papa love every one of you and wish you well. We are always there to support you in whatever small way we can. All of you can rest assured that your best interests are very dear to us. If you need to talk to us, we are always ready to listen.