Just as the mother’s love to her children is unconditional we found that the grandparents love towards the grandchildren is unconditional. Grandfather was a fan of Sou’s (when she was around 9 years ) poetry and would stop watching his favourite programme (and that was usually a Carnatic music concert ) on television to listen to her reading out her poems. The look on his face was as if he was listening to William Wordsworth!Here is a sample from her poems collection
I wish I were a princess-High up in a tower
Or I wish I were a butterfly-Flying over flowers
Or I wish I were an astronaut-Floating out in space
Or I wish I own a bakery-Baking delicious cakes
Or should I be with fairies-Pretending that I am an elf
But who I like being best-Is definitely MYSELF.
Once when grandfather was very seriously ill, Sou wrote
I hope you get well soon.........I don’t want you to go I wish our lives go very slow.
Sometimes grandfather used to sacrifice his favourite programme even though he had his own television would sit with us and enjoy cartoons especially Tom and Jerry and also discuss with us! Just to give an idea of the knowledge he possessed. Once grandfather took a vocabulary test on fifty very difficult words and got 47 out of 50 right! Our grandfather discussed Charles Dickens, Alexandre Dumas, Victor Hugo, French Revolution, Louis XIV, Louis XVI, Mary Antoinette with us. We listened to him very patiently taking care not to offend him. Our grandmother was a source of a lot of information on epics like Ramayan and Mahabharat and also mythology which she passed on to all her grandchildren . Every day in the morning she would play devotional songs on the music system to wake us up. This also ensured that we listened to these songs and got to know some of the lyrics. When grandfather got older and older and was finally confined to a wheelchair we took care of him with a lot of love and affection.
(Contributed by my children – Sou and Shakthi)
Grandparents role in parenting
The role of grandparents in bringing up our children need not be emphasised. Children observe us very keenly even though we may not be aware. Children learn to adjust – Grandparents have their own routines, their interests and they need their own space. Children learn how the value and importance of sacrifice and adjustment even from these small incidents. As they grow children learn not to intrude into their space. I see that affection and sympathy and unselfish love are now important traits that have been imbibed in my children. When my children faced problems their grandfather would advise them to be brave, fearless and take the problem head on while their grandmother would say that prayer would solve all problems. She also prayed for them. After having been with them for more than two decades we miss them both.
The benefits of a joint family (of having grandparents – parents or in-laws with you ) are
a) They are a source of lot of information on history, literature.
b) They also pass on information on our family, our ancestors, family customs and traditions.
c) They instil confidence through their words or prayers
d) They teach children to be patient and to be unselfish or less selfish
e) Children acquire qualities like sympathy and affection
f) Serving grandparents is one the best services to the elderly , children can do
g) Children get to know a different perspective of life.
h) Stories, songs, lullabies (my mother-in-law sang lullabies in Tamil, Marathi, Telugu
to her grandchildren and great-grand-daughter) are “handed over” to the next generationi) To sum up they have a wealth of experience in many fields that influence our everyday life
The popular Aishwarya patra rangoli, I learnt from mother-in-law. My video on the YouTube channel for this rangoli has been the official video of YouTube for quite some time. I dedicate this rangoli to them. She also had a lot of experience on the customs and traditions to be followed in the house and for various festivals. Credit to a lot of information on various festivals in Rangoli-sans-dots is to her. I also dedicate this rangoli (that was meant for Sankranti aka Pongal ) to them.
Note: I write on parenting from my experience and do not offer any professional advice.
Note: I write on parenting from my experience and do not offer any professional advice.