A GRANDMA OBSERVATION
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| Stunt Grammie (The real Grammie is much younger) |
So I’m
toddler sitting today for the Pa. Crankettes and as per usual, Grandpapa and
Grammie stop over to take the oldest Crankette to preschool.
I’m talking
with Grandpapa about some remodeling the Cranks are planning. It involves removing part of a wall to
widen access to the family room.
Grammie comments,
“I don’t know, I see a space for a
little one to push his chair back from the kitchen table and fall over the
step-down into the family room and get hurt.”
My first
thought was
“Yes you are right.”
But then I
thought,
“Are you kidding…dang you can figure
out a way for children to get hurt from any situation.”
Then I realized this was not just Grammie,
this was all Grandmas.
Grandmas
have a unique ability to worry about how grandchildren might hurt themselves in
a way that no other person could possibly comprehend.
A toddler
walks carrying a crayon…
“Be careful, you might trip and fall
and put your eye out.”
Toddler
climbs the stairs…
“Careful, if you fall you’ll tumble
down and crack your head wide open.” (Heads always break WIDE open.)
Toddler eats
dinner…
“Careful, chew your food or you will
choke.”
Toddler
stands up on his chair…
“Be careful, you’ll fall over
backwards and break your leg.”
Grandma’s
always knew a child who…
“I knew a boy who poked his eye out
with a stick.”
“Mrs. Crawford’s boy broke his leg
bike riding no-handed.”
“You know when I was young; the Olson
boy next door held his breath too long and he had to go to the hospital.”
“I knew a little girl who got too
close to the candles on her birthday cake and her hair caught on fire.”
If there is
any chance of any kind of an accident, a Grandma will think of it and warn you
to be careful. That is why whenever
there is a toddler accident of any sort, somewhere there is a Grandma thinking,
“I told you so!”
You gotta
love Grandma’s
I'm guessing Evil Knievel never had a doting grandmother. :)
ReplyDeleteS
If the grandmas of the world were in charge in all countries of declaring war or not it would be a very peaceful world. Grownup grandkids would be safe from stupid wars....
ReplyDeleteSometime in my 60's I developed a fear of heights. I now have the dream where the soon to be 4 granddaughter is climbing up the outside of a skyscraper, around the 60th floor. I restrain from calling her parents at 2am......
ReplyDeleteI worry but not this much. I'm a great grandma and that could be why. Just saying.
ReplyDeleteHave a fabulous day. ☺
thanks for the smiles. :)
ReplyDeleteThe best grandmas are the ones who know that stuff, but keep their mouths shut.
ReplyDeleteI know two.
You are here thanks to your grandma!
ReplyDeleteI try and worry less since I realized worrying is a big waste of time. 99.9% of the things I worry about never happen. But your post did make me miss my grandma.
ReplyDeleteI hope you notice there is close to consensus: grandma's have saved the world and if left to their own device would make it perfect.
ReplyDeleteA fellow 'grammie' explained it to me once -- she said that she her worst nightmare is that something will happen to them while she is in charge and it makes her much more protective than ever she was with her own kids.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a grandma yet but I think this way already. So...does that mean I'll even be worse when I'm a grandma?
ReplyDeleteIt's not so much that Grandma's fear injuries, it's just experience teaches that blood is tough to clean and emergency rooms eat up a whole day and years of paycheck.
ReplyDeleteIt is because raising their kids grandmas learned all of the above often does happen.
ReplyDeleteLove Leenie's rational. So true. .
My Granny always warned that we'd break our necks. Occasionally she'd threaten to do the task for us. :) Fun post, J.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, this is so true about grandmothers! I was laughing out loud through this whole post because there is lots of truth here. Right now I'm not a grandmother, but I'm going to remember this so I don't repeat these if I ever get to be a grandmother.
ReplyDeletebetty
Grandmas know what they let the grandkids do while nobody is watching. My mom had my two-year-old son sitting on her counter mere inches away from the cast-iron skillet on the stovetop where she was frying bacon. He helped her turn it over with a fork. Oh, and he used her long black-handled scissors to learn how to cut paper. He DID turn out to be gifted. And he really loves bacon.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen an eye poked out, but have seen variations of the rest of these things; including, setting hair on fire - yours truly. Actually, it just sizzled, but to me, it was in flames as I screamed for dear life. Too bad the grannies weren't standing over all of our shoulders to warn us. :)
ReplyDeleteOur daughter and son-in-law would be very unhappy if we broke their children while caring for them. We try to teach them how to do things safely, but we almost never say they can't do something. And just this morning I was thinking how lucky we are that all the close calls have been only that.
ReplyDeleteI resent this post! Us Grandmas may always be thinking but Grampy over here is the worry wart of the century! He would bubble wrap Amara if I would let him and she is almost 10 now! Grandma here was the one who thought about making sure her room is earthquake safe! Grampy is the one who panics all the time. There is a difference!
ReplyDeleteI lost count of how many times I told my own mum "they're fine stop worrying" and I was so determined not to be like her I practically ignored my grandkids unless there was bloodshed. They survived just fine.
ReplyDeleteNever knew someone who had an eye take out because of a stick... but I did know someone who threw a scissor and blinded his brother. True story. Guess that proves I'm a Grandma. BB2U
ReplyDelete