How High Can Grandparenting Benchmarks Rise?
When I was growing up, my grandparents on both sides of the family either didn’t live into their 80s, or if they did, they definitely could not have sat comfortably on the floor like my dad did. Nor would they have wanted to.
During an at-home baby shower for GrandGirl #2 (due to arrive 11 months after GrandGirl #1’s birth!), I had a sudden realization. Grandparenting and great grandparenting look a lot different today!
Case in point: I was sitting on the floor next to GrandGirl #1 while she explored a shelving unit filled with baby supplies like bibs, diapers, little waste bags, etc. Sitting beside us on the floor was my 82-year-old dad, also a great grandparent, who, it’s worth noting, just returned the night before to home in Ohio after a week-long ski trip for seniors at resorts near Salt Lake City.
As he sat there on the floor with his back against the couch and his legs bent at the knees and pulled close to his chest, I had the same thought I’ve had numerous times before…he’s remarkably capable, agile and fit! In fact, his range of abilities and interests is very impressive…offering hard evidence that age is just a number.
Another example of extended youth: my daughter-in-law’s grandmother, also a great grandparent now. She’s infinitely patient, remarkably energized and strong enough to handle a toddler. She’s also in her 80s. She can wake up early in the morning and handle a baby, all without collapsing by noon.
When I was growing up, my grandparents on both sides of the family either didn’t live into their 80s, or if they did, they definitely could not have sat comfortably on the floor like my dad did. Nor would they have wanted to. And they definitely would not have appeared early in the morning to babysit.
Health spans – not just life spans - look so different today. People living into their 90s is more commonplace than ever, but the healthiness with which they arrive there is another key factor and differentiator. In my dad’s case, he’s having a solid supply of good health by virtue of both some medical intervention (quadruple bypass surgery in his 60s) and his own healthy dietary and physical practices. He’s truly reaping the rewards of his daily discipline and commitment to healthy living.
I will admit, however, that my family might be a bit anomalous in terms of the timing of the births of all the children. My mom has kids in her early 20s, I had mine in my mid-20s, and my son had his around age 30. It certainly helps to accelerate the baby making and skew it toward more youthful years so the grandparents and great grandparents are able to be younger too.
My GrandGirls will never be able to appreciate how far grandparenting has advanced. There have been quantum leaps in terms of early detection and interventions, and awareness has been raised for what’s required to enhance the chances of your life lasting longer. Today’s children are among the beneficiaries.
Realizing how much has changed offered a real moment of reflection and projection…will I be able to hit the same physical benchmarks if I become a great grandparent some day??
