The Three Minute Grandparent

The Three Minute Grandparent: Authority The power to influence or command thought, opinion or behavior, or a person in command.  In parenting, this would be someone who has the right to make decisions.  Grandparents have used authority to make decisions for their children during growing up years and at times have used designated authority to make decisions for grandchildren.  Decisions?  What type of decisions?  Bedtimes, mealtimes, clothing choice, friends, church and school attendance, free time, and discipline.  Parents make decisions with an ultimate goal in mind; independence and passing that authority on to the child as growth occurs.  Children need to be under authority during the formative years; parents need to display and exert authority over their children with this thought, their authority should work on a descending scale as the child grows.  Each child should begin to exert self governing techniques and make decisions for them...

The Three Minute Grandparent: Dignity Are you honored by someone?  Are you treated with respect?  Grandparents want to be treated with respect by their children and also by people living around them.  Webster defines dignity as “the state of being worthy, honored or esteemed.”  Another meaning is “a legal title of nobility or honor.”  By extension, one might be called Sir Grandfather or Lady Grandmother.  In some countries, Grandparents are called Honored Grandfather and Honored Grandmother.  These are terms of respect that are deeply appreciated by all Grandparents.  In order to be treated with dignity and honored by someone, dignity and honor must first be given.  The golden rule actually works in this situation, remember it? Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.  In other words, if you want it, give it to someone.  Do you want to be treated as a special person?  Treat someone as a special person.  D...

The Three Minute Grandparent: Daddy Any man can be a Father but it takes someone special to be a Daddy.  My Daddy was 30 years older than me, yet he was involved in my growth and development and spent time with me on a regular basis.  Daddy gave me my first pet, a Collie that I named Pal.   Daddy sensed that I needed to care for something which would help me grow and understand responsibility.  Pal and I ate from the same can of dog food and ran all over our large back yard. As I grew, Daddy gave me a bicycle which gave me wings to fly over the yard and eventually through neighborhood streets and finally to school.  Daddy tried to help me understand cars, working under the hood changing the oil, fanbelts, generators, even shock absorbers.  He showed this 3 year old boy a spark plug and I thought it was candy, promptly responding with,” I like spark plugs.”  I resisted Daddy as I grew older and did not have an interest in cars.  Oh, I wat...

The Three Minute Grandparent: Courage “Courage is not the absence of fear, but the judgment that something else is more important.” (Father to daughter in Princess Diaries .)  The Cowardly Lion searched for courage in The Wizard of Oz .   Audie Murphy, decorated WW2 soldier, displayed it while on the battlefield.  Courage seems to be the subject of newspaper articles, TV shows and movies, and it is a word thrown around on the internet.  Is there such a thing as courage?  True courage?  Webster’s dictionary defines it as mental or moral strength to   venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.  How does one display true courage?  Parents of young children are courageous to this Grandpa.  Children are a 24 hour a day, 7 day a week undertaking.  No time off is generally available to the caring parent of a 2 year old.  Teaching, nurturing, feeding, bathing, driving, walking and loving a child are all f...

The Three Minute Grandparent: Haunting What haunts you?  What pursues you?  Are you forced to face something time after time?  No, this is not a ghost story; it concerns what is on a child’s mind.  A child is haunted by Mother.  Haunt has layered meanings; to be preoccupied with or obsessed with.  A child is preoccupied with or obsessed with his/her Mother all of the time.  The picture of Mother comes to mind when hunger strikes, when a toy breaks, when the bathroom door is closed and Mother is behind it, or when a large dog barks.  Mother is always in the mind of a child whether in the forefront or lurking behind the latest adventure.  The needs of a child center on Mother even when building with Leggos, bathing the dog, planting a garden with Dad or having a fun ride in the car.  A slight change in plans, a cut finger, or anything out of the ordinary brings the picture of Mother to the mind of a child.  In a figure of sp...