(Sing or hum along)Hello, young mothers, wherever you are
I hope your troubles are few
All my good wishes go with you today
And I need the same--plus advice--from you...
(Music fades out)
So I just read that there are gobs of other grandmothers out there who are playing a major role in raising grandchildren. I'm glad I'm not alone. But here you see two precious little girls watching the spring rain fall, and they're thinking, "This is a fine how-do-you-do. We'll have to find a way to exercise Nana indoors today. Hmm..."
My problem has more to do with time than age. I was just getting used to having some for myself.
Things have changed so much since my kids were little. Kids don't go out and play. They have play dates. Dates? Dates have to be arranged, written on the calendar, prospects must be interviewed. Isn't play supposed to mean play? And Kindergarten is a major commitment. You've got your school choice, then your half day or full day choice, extra in-school activities galore (they had a sock hop last week), and homework! Kindergarten!
And then there are the lessons, starting age 3. (Is that too late?) My 2 granddaughters are taking dance class. The costumes they'll wear once cost as much as a prom dress, and the older one needed two. (I visited with the mother of a teenager whose daughter had to have 20 costumes this year--20!) The run-up to recital includes picture day, dress rehearsal day, ticket lottery day--fill out an order form, write a check, take it to the studio between 2 and 7:00 on lottery day for the drawing of seat assignments--Good grief!
But my current quandary has to do with a the 6th birthday party. I have no problem with activities--we're going to make jewelry and create fashions from fabric swatches, put on a little makeup and take some pictures. But I was thinking a few little girls from the neighborhood. Suddenly the almost 6-year-old is dealing with a 16-year-old's party tizzy. "I have to invite my best friend from school. But I can't leave my second and third best out because they're really best friends together, but all four of us are together most of the time." So I ask how many girls in class. Seven. How can you leave out the other 3--oops, don't say that out loud. How can I deal with the school crowd plus the neighbors plus...
She's only 5! (For one more week.) How did childhood get to be so much more complicated since just
yesterday? We had a nice little family party for the younger gdaughter in February, but she's only 4. She was happy to dress up as Tinker bell. By next year, we'll probably need a seating arrangement and place cards.Is it just me, or is childhood more complicated nowadays? How do you manage the commitments and activities? Lois blogged about family size the other day, and I'm wondering how people can afford big families anymore? Nana needs advice!
