A Life Lesson

I got a little insight into the difference between a mom and a grandma today. I thought I'd share.

I happened to be in the bathroom at Walmart, inside the stall, when I heard a little boy come in with his grandma. I knew she was his grandma because he was talking a mile a minute, saying, "Grandma, we're in the bathroom." "Grandma, I know why you came in here with me...to watch me pee!" "Grandma, you can use mine." "Grandma, that is my soap, and my mirror, and my towels." "Grandma...." He had to be only 3 or 4 years old and all the while, Grandma didn't say a word, only a few chuckles and murmurs, until at the end of his escapades, she said, "Let's go" and they left.

Not 30 seconds later, I heard a mom come in with her little ones in tow. Her little boy is chattering too, but Mom says, "Come in here quickly." "You really better have to use the bathroom or you're in big trouble." "Oh no, where are your shoes?" "Why didn't you tell me?" "Don't touch that!" I heard them leave, presumably to look for the lost shoe and I came out into the sink area. She re-entered moments later, little girl in arms, lost shoe in hand and boy trailing behind. She looked at me in exasperation and I smiled at her with perfect understanding. As she headed back to the toilets, she said, mostly to herself, "What am I going to do when there are three of you?" I had to laugh out loud as I left the restroom!

My observations led me to two conclusions...1) either the kids wear us out so completely when they are young that we have no energy left to fight them when we're grandparents, or 2) we realized what treasures we had when our kids were young and have decided to enjoy it more thoroughly the second time around. The older I get the more I'm leaning to #2...

Here's to enjoying our kids, now and again.