Mondays are my day off. I love Mondays. And no, it’s not exactly because Monday’s are my day off but rather, it is because of what I choose to do with my day off. Every Monday since he has been born, Nancy and I ‘grandmasit’ for our grandson who is now 8 years old. It is the joy of our lives, but don’t take my word for it – just ask any grandparent who gets to take care of their grandchild(ren) and you will know how true it is.
It is a blessing for so many reasons. It is a blessing to be able to help your children, even when they themselves are adults. It is a blessing to be needed and to be able to deliver on that need. It is a blessing to be helpful. And of course, the obvious, it is a blessing to be able to develop a precious relationship with your grandchild.
It is so important for people who are on the older end of the lifecycle to be able to interact with young children. You don’t have to be a grandparent to do so. It sure is one of the precious gifts of being a part of Temple Beth Tikvah. It is home for people of every age and therefore we all have ‘grandchildren’ and ‘grandparents’ right here, even if we don’t have literal grand-family, or if our own grand-family is geographically far away.
It makes me want our children to be able to better interact with our elders, and it makes me want our elders to be better integrated into our programming for children.
We see it at services. Remember the High Holidays? (Not that long ago!) Surely one of the highlights is when the children come up onto the bima and sing “Oseh Shalom.” I don’t think there is a dry eye in the house! All of our elders are enchanted. Our kids are giving them a gift beyond their awareness.
That gift doesn’t have to happen just once a year.
It’s simple. Just consider these options. If you are an adult who is not busy raising your own children, just let me know if you would like to be a “grand-sitter.” Alternatively, if you are a person without any elders in your life, let me know if you would like to strike up a friendship with someone who might be a generation ahead of you.
I am a great matchmaker, and these kind of matches are the best of all.
L’Shalom,
Rabbi