Grandmothers Editor Introduction

This is my first article for Type-A Mom, and I’m thrilled to be here!  I’ll be sharing my thoughts and experiences on all things grandmotherly, even though I have but one 18-month-old grandchild . . . so far.  (My husband and I have four children between us from first marriages.)  But lest you think I’m not fully qualified to write on the subject with such a brief granny history, let me explain.

I’m the oldest of nine children, five girls and four boys.  The age difference between the youngest and me is 16 years.  I remember changing diapers by the time I was 10, and by the time I married at 20, I felt like I’d halfway raised at least the three youngest kids.  Unfortunately, our mother died when she was only 49, without ever meeting the last 10 of her grandchildren.  I was 31 then and eventually slipped into the role of matriarch.

Since I was working full time, raising my son and going to college at night, I didn’t get to spend much time with the first four of those grandkids.  Those four, all girls, are now grown.  And they turned out quite well, even without my hovering throughout their formative years!  The last six grandkids are considerably younger, ranging from eight to 16 years old, and I’ve enjoyed a fair amount of quality time with them.

Actually, I’ve always had kids with me, even before my son was born.  Whenever I went shopping, I’d grab my younger sibs for the day, and, until they were about 12 or so, they liked going with me.  There were lots of trips to Belle Isle, Detroit’s island park, to feed the deer and explore, as well as visits to seasonal attractions, like pumpkin patches with pumpkin people and Christmas villages.  We also took long drives for monthly visits to a great aunt in a nursing home.  (On those days, I had to bribe them with a special treat in addition to the usual lunch, because they found the nursing home visits so boring.)

As some of my first nieces came on the scene, there were sleep-overs and lots of visits at both houses.  So I had a ready supply of kids until my son was born.  Then, of course, he was my traveling buddy.  (Sadly for me, my granddaughter lives over 700 miles away, so it doesn’t look like she’ll be one of my little companions for a few years.  But when she’s a little older, we’ll just have to make up for it!)

Now, most of my friends and neighbors, as well as the women in the jewelry and pottery classes I attend, either still have kids at home or are also grandmothers.  I hear interesting stories, happy and sad, and I’ll be sharing many of them.  Hopefully, you’ll find them occasionally moving or amusing, but always thought-provoking.  I am so looking forward to this journey with you!

Related posts:

1. My Introduction as Bed Rest Editor
2. An Introduction to Tourette Syndrome
3. My Widowed Moms Introduction
4. Introducing the New Preteen Editor
5. Introducing New Child Development Editor