Watching Your Grown-Up Kids Grow Up

Every parent raises their children with the hope that some day they will be independent, capable, happy adults.  We envision a steady succession of growth for them as they graduate from college, secure employment, move out and become financially independent, get married and start a family.  Thinking back on all of the milestones children reach throughout their lives - academic success, athletic achievements, personal relationships - we can’t help but be extremely proud of them, but at times, watching them grow up into adults can be bittersweet.  As much as I was sad to see my children leave home after graduation, I was truly excited to see each of them get their first job, rent their first apartment, buy their first home and get married to extraordinary people.  By those standards, I could confidently say that they both became independent, capable, happy adults.    

But when do you realize that your grown-up kids have really grown up?  Although with every major life event we see our children turn into grown-ups, at which point do we come to the realization that our children are full blown adults?  For me, it was seeing them as parents.  

Last summer, my son and his wife and my daughter and her husband gave us the wonderful news that we were going to be grandparents.  For the next few months, we anticipated the births of these precious little baby boys, planned baby showers, purchased an abundance of baby gear, furniture and clothing and worried about the moms-to-be.  As I acquired a Batman onesie for my new grandson, I remembered how much my son loved the superhero when he was a little boy.  As I decorated for my daughter’s baby shower with children’s books, I remembered how much she loved her bedtime stories when she was a little girl.  And now my little boy and little girl were each having their own baby.  They were now going to be someone’s mom and dad.  

My two grandsons were born 4 weeks apart.  Although I may have gotten a few of the normal new parent questions about the belly button, burping methods and sleep patterns, the comfort level and proficiency at which these new parents have assumed their roles are nothing less than amazing.  Watching them interact with their new babies was validation that my grown up children had grown up right before my eyes.    

I feel extremely blessed that retirement has given me the opportunity to spend time with my daughter, son-in-law, son and daughter-in-law and their newborns. Watching how both sets of parents are so comfortable and conscientious with their newborns makes my heart happy.  The gift of grandparenthood has been such a sweet treat for my first year of retirement and seeing the four new parents in action, doing so well at their new roles is icing on the cake.