It is impossible to compare the ties established between grandparents and grandchildren with any other bond: such deep relationships are characterized by reciprocity. A grandmother and a grandson – not from the same family –, who exchange their personal views on the same topic, have a unique occasion to learn from one another.
A grandmother: I am a biologist, and happily married, with 3 children, and 3 grandsons all below the age of 6 – plus another boy on the way. With my grandchildren, I have fostered a close relationship, even though they live far away and we rarely see each other.
Often, I find myself marveling at these little ones and the vitality they exude. They seem to live the present moment unconditionally, unlike us adults who are conditioned by so many things.
For them there is neither yesterday nor tomorrow, but only today. They teach me a beautiful lesson. I feel completely at ease with them because, above all, we grandparents are no longer directly responsible for our grandchildren. We indulge them a bit more because we no longer have the daily duty of educating them as do their parents.
Moreover, we usually have more time on our hands, are less busy and can live each shared moment entirely for them. Being with them we return to our childhood, rediscovering the beauty of reading fables and touched by the discoveries they make about the world they’re just beginning to explore. Our grandchildren appreciate the attention we give them, and the time we spend together becomes a celebration for everyone.
A final thought: with them, I have found again the vigor that I thought had left me. Naturally, I am not able to keep up such high energy levels for long periods of time, because my physical strength is limited. We can, however, become like little children again and see the world through their eyes.
Our grandchildren help us understand better what children today have to face in terms of those problems that exist in every age as well as the new challenges of our time. Thus we must also adapt to new technologies, learning how to use the different social media which come so naturally to them. Certainly they have their difficult moments, tantrums and struggles.
But after all is said, I’m glad we’re having this conversation. It would be fantastic to acquire the perspective of a grandchild, understand how he sees his grandparents and have a dialogue with him on different topics to develop deeper relationships that can be established between these two generations. (Marina Gui, a grandmother)
A grandson: I am a senior high school student. Aside from my hobbies like theater, and water polo, I am also a junior journalist who writes for Teens– a magazine for young adolescents– and for New City magazine. This, for me, is an occasion to express my thoughts and learn from the views of grandparents.
The age difference between grandchildren and grandparents is huge–and this is why I am curious to know what our grandparents of our fathers and mothers think. I would like to find out what we have in common and also be enriched by discovering those things we disagree about.
For instance, I often hear my own grandparents making comments about the teenagers of today, about their tattoos or their habit of changing hair color. Such comments are a cause for reflection.
Still, I have to say that even if grandparents and grandchildren think differently, they are able to build deep relationships with us, perhaps precisely because opposites attract. It goes without saying that we love each other a lot; we grandchildren have great affection for our “elders.” In fact, we see in them people who will love us no matter what happens, and are ready to do everything for us.
Through their reflections drawn from experiences, and their stories of life’s vicissitudes, grandparents can help us better understand many situations in our lives. With their help, it is easier to realize when we might be meandering down the wrong path.
