Palo Alto Grandkids

Our youngest son Ben and his wife Jessica have 6 very busy and energetic children.  You may imagine that there isn't much down time for them.  So I was quite willing to agree to watch all 6 while Ben and Jes had a little get-away for a couple of days.  As the time approached I began to wonder if I could keep up with all those babes and their activities.  I was especially worried about caring for the youngest, Jonathan.  He isn't a year old yet and is very attached to his mama.  In fact, he hasn't ever been away from her for long.  And he doesn't think much of me, judging from past experience.  Would he tolerate my efforts at temporary mothering?

Layne planned on coming with me until granddaughter Allegra volunteered.  She has a way with kids and seems to enjoy babysitting duty.  Eagerly I accepted her help, leaving Layne off the hook.  We girls left for our family errand on Thursday.

I tend to be a very structured person.  I like things done just so and organized just so.  Somehow I have evolved to this.  Time works its strange adjustments upon us.  Fortunately, Jes had made out a list of what we were to do each day with the kids.  We organized ourselves from there.  I'm happy to report that all went well.  My experiences with the kids left me with two refreshed insights:

1.  Kids are adaptable and will do whatever they need to, to get along.  Baby Jonathan realized very early in our time together that I was it for him.  He soon preferred me to everyone else in the household.  He clung to me, hugged me and nuzzled me.  It was quite endearing.  Except for the nights.  Jon doesn't make it through the night.  Both nights I had to hold him, clam him, search for his bink and experience his thrashing, kicking, smacking and general sounds and movements in the dark.  Sleep was elusive, you could say.  But by mornings he was his sweet, charming self.  He was my boy.  He was happy with my efforts to care for him.  KIDS ADJUST and do what they have to do to get by.  

2.  William, 7 years old, has a temper.  He "rises to the bait", as my mother-in-law used to say about the victims of teasing.  William's little brother, Zachary, a darling, dark eyed little guy, loves to quietly torment Will until he explodes in screams and hits.  Being the noisy one, he gets the blame for the trouble.  I understand this.  It happened to me and my little sister too.  You maybe can guess that I was the noisy explosive one.  After one of Will's particularly violent explosions I took him in my arms and quietly told him I understood how he felt but that violence was never right.  As I spoke to him gently, he calmed down.  I then gently told Zach that his teasing and tormenting was also wrong.  As I spoke softly to the boys, the atmosphere calmed and the anger dissipated.  It isn't natural for me to respond to strong emotion with gentleness.  But I prayed for the ability to do it, and I believe that is why I was able to respond softly.  It was a lovely example of one of my favorite scriptures, Proverbs 15:1  A SOFT ANSWER TURNETH AWAY WRATH, BUT GRIEVOUS WORDS STIR UP ANGER.  I'm going to keep trying to be soft.

Jonathan and me; my boy, for the moment.

Saturday night we had the kids in bed but not asleep when Ben and Jes returned.  I believe they had a good time.  So did we!  The time with the children was good, but exhausting.  Allegra talked to me all the way home, then we settled back into familiar territory, weary to the bone.