The highlight of summer for this grandma and grandpa was a week at the beach with all the children and grandchildren. After months of little time with grandchildren due to the pandemic, we were able to gather and spend as much time as we wanted, and it was wonderful. There were balloons, bubbles, and books, candy and coloring, seashells and swimming. We made up for lost time, took daily naps, and were sorry when the week ended.
If you’ve ever wondered about activities for grandchildren and grandparents, there are several charming books written by Jean Reagan and illustrated by Lee Wildish that fit the bill, cleverly constructed from the child’s point of view: How to Babysit a Grandpa, and How to Babysit a Grandma.
How to Babysit a Grandpa
In How to Babysit a Grandpa, the young boy babysitting his grandpa breaks the ice with shark and lion and pirate impersonations. Snacks always are a part of the visit, preferably cookies and ice cream, or perhaps ice cream and cookies! A walk outdoors will help wear grandpa out, being careful to remember sunscreen and warm clothes. When they return to the house, the babysitter recommends entertainment with somersaults and marching games, after which a nice long book will help grandpa along with his nap. After nap time comes cleanup time before the parents return.
How to Babysit a Grandma
In How to Babysit a Grandma, the little girl is coming to spend the night with grandma at her house. She suggests arriving, at the front door in disguise to surprise her grandma, using a special knock on the door, or pretending to be a cat, a dog, a goldfish. She is carrying her camera, which records all the fun activities of the sleepover. During the day she gives her grandma plenty of choices of fun things to do, like going to the park, baking cookies, having a parade, going to the park, doing yoga, looking at pictures, going to the park – grandma gets to decide. Of course, she wants to go to the park to swing and slide and feed the ducks. At home, they dress up in all of grandma’s shoes and put on all her jewelry, sing, learn sign language, put sprinkles on their food and curl up in bed together with the hall light on. Grandma is reassured that mom and dad will return bright and early in the morning, and indeed they do.
How to Read to a Grandma or Grandpa
A third book for grandmas and grandpas just came out this summer, called How to Read to a Grandma or Grandma, which I look forward to reading soon.
I love the universal essentials underlying the author’s descriptions of spending time with grandparents – parents leave and will come back (which both the child and the grandparent appreciate!), the urge to share cookies and ice cream and sprinkles, along with the important rules involving sunscreen and warm enough clothes. Finding the first star at night, reading books, singing songs, and passing along the family ways are all things that grandparents can do. I got some great ideas from these books for the next opportunity the grandchildren get to babysit us.
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