When your children have grown, parenting changes dramatically. Of course, long gone are the braces and swim practice and adolescent angst. Now, it’s the grandchildren doing it and it is such a joy for me to watch my older daughter parent her ‘tween daughter. She is so patient and so wise. Far more wise than I was at her age. She empowers her daughter to handle her own problems as best she can before stepping in. Me? I was an over-involved helicopter mom who was hyper vigilant. Yet, the girls are doing fine. Daughter #1 is a beautiful mother. Daughter #2 is still in college, unmarried, no children…still finding herself and her place in the world. My kids are very nearly 16 years apart so there is no comparison.

I miss the days when they were little, but I wouldn’t want to do it over again. Certainly not at this age. I have a friend that I graduated from high school with and she just adopted her two year old grandson. OMGosh! I cannot imagine but I am so proud of her for taking this on and giving this little man a stable home. I would if I had to, of course…but it sure wouldn’t be easy. God gives us children when we’re young enough that a) we have no clue what can go wrong and b) we have the energy and patience necessary.

I bought my older grand daughter a laptop and gave it to her today. She had never used Windows 8 before but she picked it up in a heartbeat. It amazes me what the kids of today will be able to accomplish with the technology that’s available. She is going into a college prep school this fall. She’s eleven! Yes, parenting is entirely different now than it was when I was raising my babies.

I’m such a proud Mom…and Nana.

❤

“Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth.”

Psalm 127:3-4