6 Things Grandmas Do That No One Else Can
“A grandmother is a remarkable woman. She’s a wonderful combination of warmth and kindness, laughter and love.” While the author of this quote isn’t known, it can likely resonate with most people. Most of us were blessed with a wonderful grandmother. Mine certainly made my childhood more magical. Here are 6 things grandmas can do that no one else can.
Babysit
Sure, anyone can babysit. But no one can babysit the way grandmothers can. Almost every Friday, my grandmother swung by our house to collect us for the weekend. I’ll never forget the excitement I felt as we waited for her little white Volkswagen to pull into our driveway. From taking walks to picking flowers to reading bedtime stories, my grandmother made those weekends so special. Grandpa would entertain, but Grandma was the duty-bound director of our stay. Though my grandmother was a task-oriented woman who loved working, she never made us feel like a burden or an imposition. She just made us feel loved.
Nurture
Grandma was an amazing nurturer. She always put fresh sheets on our beds and gave us special plates, cups, and silverware at mealtimes. When we came in from playing outside, Grandma was there to remind us to wash our hands. She also checked us for ticks—a major health hazard in New York. Before she went to bed, she turned on our night light at bedtime and stored fresh batteries in the two flashlights beside our twin beds. She even wound our very own ticking clock with a dial that glowed. Thanks to my grandmother, I still love the sound of a ticking clock. The time she took to ensure our care and safety made me feel special. Grandmas can nurture like nobody’s business.
Teach
Grandma didn’t miss her calling when she became a teacher. After her retirement, her grandchildren became her pupils. Grandma owned a vast collection of children’s books. I’m certain my love of reading came from her. Then there were birds. Grandma was no ordinary bird-watcher. On more than one occasion, she rescued hatchlings and raised them on the back porch off of her kitchen. Of course, my grandmother was a gardener, too. When I was a child, she pointed out different flowers to me. She knew which ones were edible and would decorate her cake icing with beautiful flower petals.
Grandma was also the first person to notice that I played piano by ear. She was an incredible classical pianist who also played the clarinet and the banjo. I’m certain my grandmother is the reason I love my piano, the reason my children took lessons, and the reason I’ve given piano lessons to children and adults alike. Show me a grandmother, and I’ll show you a teacher.
Photograph
I think Grandma became a serious photographer when we were born. She was the paparazzi of my childhood. Albums are filled with pictures of the grandkids helping with summer haying, raking leaves in the fall, sleigh riding in the winter, and swimming at the lake in the spring. Grandma even captured me walking on my hands and flipping across her front yard. Each picture was dated and inscribed in her flawless penmanship. When Grandma sent me the pictures and slides from my childhood, I noticed something: the one person missing from many of my childhood photos was the photographer. Like every true artist, Grandma’s volume of work made her immortal. No one takes pictures with such zeal and selfless disregard as a proud grandmother.
Encourage
Grandma’s mother and father emigrated here from England. My grandmother saw that she lived in a land of great opportunity and strove to prove herself. Valedictorian of her Long Island high school, Grandma went on to become the first college graduate in her family. Education was important to her. After retiring from teaching, Grandma was a longtime correspondent for a local newspaper. Each time one of her grandchildren had a birthday or received a special achievement at school, she honored us with a photo and a short write-up in the paper. When I announced that I was attending college, Grandma encouraged me along the way. When I graduated, she was elated. Grandmas are skilled in the art of encouragement.
Inspire
Growing up, I watched my grandmother perform a juggling act worthy of the Cirque du Soleil. She cared for her family, went to church, helped her friends and neighbors, gave her time and energy to worthy causes, participated in civic groups, and loved my grandfather deeply. Eventually, life took me 600 miles away from my family. While my visits dwindled after I married and had children, my adoration for my grandparents never changed.
Several years after my grandfather passed, I received an amazing gift. My 87-year-old grandmother, in the throes of crippling rheumatoid arthritis, drove 600 miles to visit me. Talk about inspiring! Seeing her in my house, hearing her voice, and watching her playing card games with our young children was surreal. She listened to me play the piano with a proud smile on her face. We played board games as a family and made precious memories. Four years later, my family asked me to write something inspirational for her funeral. I sat in the old farmhouse bedroom that hadn’t changed since my childhood and poured my heart onto paper. For the woman who inspired me daily, it was an honor.
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Originally published April 22, 2024
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