Grandpas and Little Boys

Being in the unique position of raising young children while having my parents living in my home, I have been able to witness the interaction between my son and his grandpa.  My son is almost 4 and my father is now 75…and trust me when I say that theirs is a special relationship.

 Grandpas need little boys, and I really mean that.  My father had a quad bypass over a year ago and he recovered in record time for a 74 year old man.  When he was on oxygen in the house with his 75 foot tube he still sat with the boy and ate popcorn.  He would go on walks with the boy, and the boy learned to pull his finger and grandpa would make farty noises with his mouth without his teeth in...trust me when I say that it is way funnier when grandpa doesn't have his teeth in.

 Now he takes the boy to the park quite often.  When the boy wants to go outside we send him to get grandpa and they have a system.  Ryan takes his finger and takes him for their jackets, then their shoes, then grandpa's sunglasses, and then he takes grandpa to the back door to go outside.  Ryan then takes him out back and sits on the swing next to him.

 On occasion when grandpa doesn't go where Ryan wants him to he will go around behind grandpa's legs, push his head through and use his shoulders to push grandpa where he wants him to go.  Sometimes grandpa will give the boy a ride around the kitchen in his office chair.

 I maintain that it is this relationship that keeps my dad young and alive!  Grandpas need a little boy in their life, even if it is not their own grandson.  They need that little boy to remind them of what it was like to be young...and roll tires down hills and knock motorcyclists off their bikes.  They need to have to hide the power tools from a little boy trying to power sand the carpet.  They need to have a little boy to come in and share whatever they are eating.  They need to have a smelly diaper clad little boy to plop his stinky bottom right in the middle of their nearly done puzzle, because that little boy wants his attention.

 These are the things that give meaning to an old man's life, and a reason to stay alive.  I never knew my grandpa in this life, but I can see how my son's life is truly enriched by having his grandpa with him.  Here's to grandpas and little boys, may they always have time together!