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| Haven (2 yrs old) dressing as a pirate at Opa and Grammy D's 2011 |
I remember when I first heard I was going to be a grand
parent. I was so happy for my oldest son
and his wife. Since Bobby is my
“step-son” the message that came to my mind was something like, “well this is
great for my husband but I’m not quite old enough to be a grandparent
yet!”
Haven came into the world in December 2009 and it was “love
at first sight!” As soon as her parents
would let her Robert began taking care of her each and every Monday. It was so rewarding to watch her grow and learn. Through her eyes we once again learned to
appreciate the littlest of things in life, as seen through a baby and a small,
inquisitive child. When Haven was just 2 years old Robert and I attended a fun,
pirate-themed party where the hosts passed out all kinds of “pirate booty”
which we in-turn took home. For months
Haven would dress up like a pirate and to this day all of our grandchildren
still play with the “gold” coins and wooden treasure chest, the eye-patch, the sparkly
beads, the pirate head scarf, and the “Captain Hook hand.”
Our second grandchild, Robert IV (Cohen), arrived just two years after the first and although it was a bit tougher watching two, we still set-aside Mondays as the day dedicated to our “littles.”
Fast-forward to May of 2014 and along came Christian, who
was born to our youngest daughter, Christina (Sinclair) and her husband
Chad. Since Christina had to return to
work as a fitness instructor just six weeks after Christian was born we once
again had the privilege of taking care of yet another grandchild. This time it’s nearly every day, and I can
tell you that this is by far the most rewarding and purposeful activity in my
life.
As I write this I am
just a few days away from flying to Dallas for our second visit with our fourth
grandchild, Exley, born to our oldest daughter, Angie (Schuller) and her husband, Chris Wyatt, in March 2106.
There
is nothing more important than being with your family.
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| Opa and Cohen (1 yr old) at petting zoo 2012 |
Spending time with your
grandchildren, helps them developmentally and at the same time it helps you to
maintain good health, mentally, physically, and spiritually.
Here are just a few of the benefits I experience when spending time with them:
1) Children
are a great way to slow-down and enjoy the simple things in life. You will view a butterfly,
a flower, a crashing wave, a duck on a lake, or even a dump truck, in totally fresh and
new ways. Grand parenting helps you
become more aware of your surroundings and of God’s creations.
2) Most
of the time you need to get “down and dirty” with your grandchildren and this
might include, building blocks, jumping up and down, dancing, play-acting out a
scene, giving piggy-back rides, climbing on the jungle gym (so they don't fall), or building a fort. This kind of
movement keeps you flexible and helps you forget about any kind of pain you
might otherwise dwell on.
3) There
is nothing more important than your time and children know when you are distracted by other things. When I am with my
grand children I try not to take phone calls, text, or email. Besides, if I take my eye off of Christian he
is likely to try to climb over the balcony, scale the fireplace, or flush
something down the toilet! The
experience of living in the present is a great benefit of grand parenting. They help you “stop and smell the roses.”
4) Playing
board games or cards, teaching them to count, painting or doing crafts, or putting together puzzles…all
of these activities help to keep your mind sharp and focused. Most of us get caught in ruts as we age but
being around your grandchildren will keep you thinking “out of the box!”
5) Healthy
cooking is also a great sideline.
Although I’m a nutritionist and thus try to eat as healthy as possible at
every meal, my daughter prepares every meal for Christian and he is only
allowed organic meats, fruits and vegetables. Off the list are grains and foods that contain
refined sugars, dairy, and of course, no packaged or “fake” food ever! It’s a great reminder that the food we eat today is building the body we will become tomorrow.
6) A
sense of appreciation and love that is felt and passed along when we are with the youngest
generation is very real and is a great benefit to our emotional health. There
is so much to be thankful for and spending time with our extended family
reminds us to embrace an attitude of
gratitude. Adults have so much stress
and worry and it’s great to be with children who really only care about the
here and now.
7) Faith
in a new generation and faith in action as you help teach your grandchildren
about God and His creation: how to pray and then you pray with them.
I recently sat down to lunch with my daughter and my grandson and as we
started eating our meal Christian shouted out, “pray!” Wow, did that get our attention! Children learn early how important it is to
acknowledge God who is the giver and sustainer of everything good in life.
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| "D" and Christian (2 yrs) June 2016 |
These are just a few of the many health benefits that I've observed by being involved in my grandchildren's lives. I offer time, encouragement, and support for
them, but the benefits I gain far out-weigh what I give. I am helping to raise the next generation
of peace-keeping, God-loving, good people and what could be more important than
this?
If you don’t have
any grandchildren you can do what we used to do in our church: find older people
and match them up with children who don’t have grandparents. These “foster” grand relationships provide
the love and influence that only comes through inter-generational contact and
experiences.
Be Healthy. Be Happy. Be Peaceful.
Join me on the 15th of every month for "The Call" at 6pm pacific time. Dial 641-715-3865 and then 642848# for access.
Questions or information about The Call or your health? Donna@DonnaSchuller.com
