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I noticed a bit of a trend over the summer at my holiday home. Suzie and I were a part of it, as our 10 year old grandson stayed with us for a large portion of the school holiday period. It was wonderful to see so many grandparents helping out in this way.
Our holiday community is gated and has a large play park with extensive grassy areas and a few soccer nets for the kids. The job of supervising was made easy with a friendly and informal rota, which kept anyone from being tied down. It was brilliant seeing the kids play together all summer, literally from morning until late in the evening. They only came in for food.
They spent many full days at the harbour, paddleboarding and jumping into the sea, and had fun picnics on the beach with evening BBQs around driftwood fires. Cycling adventures on the easy, plentiful paths were also a heavy feature. In short, it was as close to an ideal summer childhood as you could wish for.
Not only was this brilliant for the ragtag band of grandchildren, but it was also a boon for their parents. Knowing that summer childcare had been taken care of must surely lower stress levels and relieve the pressure of juggling kids and working life over the summer season. It was a win for everyone and a great example of the benefits grandparents can bring to the table.
From my own perspective, it also made me feel younger inside. So much messing around with the youngsters definitely tweaked my mindset, and I seem to have captured a glimmer of my childhood again. It was a win-win situation, the kids got a summer of fun and I got a tiny bit of reflected childhood back.
I’m a bit melancholy now. They have all returned to school, and I miss that little gang of kids. Their giggling when crab fishing will stay with me forever. It was a fun summer. I’m so glad I retired this past April and could experience this opportunity. I guess my slightly sad mood makes me think about this one fact: it’s a sad reflection on our consumer-driven society that the majority of parents have to work so hard to provide a secure lifestyle for their family, causing them to miss out on so many special, shared memories. Maybe I’m being foolish and slightly naive, but wouldn’t it be lovely if this wasn’t the case and a better work-life balance was the norm?
I never had kids, thus no grandchildren, but I am working on building memories at the other end of the age scale. This will sadly be our final summer with my MIL, with whom I have had a special bond since the moment we met even though we don’t speak each other’s language. I make it a point to sit with her on the patio in the morning, and walk with her and the dog in the evening, and I’m the only person in the world she hugs. Not my wife or sister-in-law. Me.
As I was swimming in a lake Monday early evening after a hot day (unusual for a UK public holiday) I clearly validated that it’s the simple time to do simple things that is the real reward of retirement.
Re grandkids – I also think they probably benefit from the distance from parents and as a result are less likely to act up or have the usual pushback on stuff. So it works both ways as a relief from the intensity of a parent-child relationship.
My grandchildren are the best part of my retirement.
What a lovely way to spend the summer! It is indeed a shame that our consumer-driven society doesn’t generally lend itself to a healthy work-life balance. I’m sure your grandson is going to cherish his memories of his summers with you!