Dear all, my mum turned 70 at the weekend. She became a grandmother for the first time at 50, when our eldest was born. That was 20 years ago. And right from the start, there was a special bond between grandmother and grandchild, a love between them that is second to none – even though we were separated by over 600 kilometres back then.
Two years later, the twins arrived, and another ten years on, another little grandchild, when my brother became a dad. And all four of them are still their granny’s biggest fans to this day. They wouldn’t let a fly land on their Granny. I’m emphasising this so much because it really is an incredibly close bond.
Grandma-grandchild love from the very beginning
I never had the chance to stay overnight at my grandmother’s or have my grandparents look after me. It’s different for our children, and what a blessing that is! In our case, we actually moved in with the extended family when our daughter started school, and we’ve lived next door to them ever since. My brother lives in the house too, so his child also has plenty of contact with Grandma.
And it really is fantastic! When the kids were little, they often had sleepovers at Grandma’s, where she would tell bedtime stories for the little ones. And if they needed a worm farm or wanted to mix a magic potion, Grandma was always there. Children never forget things like that.
The best thing about Grandma is that you can experience all the ordinary things with her, our daughter once said. She takes the grandchildren out into the garden, picks currants with them or plants potatoes, hands each child a wooden spoon when it’s time for lunch, and always takes them seriously.
Corona times in the extended family
When the lockdowns came crashing down on us during the pandemic, it was Grandma who spruced up the garden shed so nicely that our eldest could have a sleepover in it with the neighbour’s child, because she said: Goodness, your eldest needs to be able to distance herself from you as a teenager – how else is she supposed to manage that? You don’t forget things like that.
At lunchtime, she set the table in the family’s communal room so that all those suffering from working from home and home schooling could have a brief change of scenery. You’d go mad otherwise. How right she was. And what brilliant ideas she always has! Nothing is impossible. And every day without a disaster is a good day. She is so straightforward and practical, so hard-working and caring. So supportive. Always. Unconditionally.
When we parents were being silly, our children could always run over to Grandma’s (and when the children were being silly, I’d go to Mum 😉) When Grandma suddenly ended up in intensive care during the pandemic and two difficult months in hospital followed, it was her grandchildren who made her 65th birthday unforgettable despite the adverse circumstances.
Happy birthday, dearest Grandma in the countryside!
We also celebrated her 69th birthday last year as if it were a milestone – who knows what the future holds… and when Grandma then asked if we’d be up for going away with her for a few days to mark her 70th birthday, which conveniently fell on the Whitsun weekend, every single one of the grandkids was absolutely up for it. Some even brought their partners – and how lovely is it when the family’s so involved?!
“Oh Granny,” our boys always say, giving her a big hug. Grandma doesn’t judge, she’s amazed. By teen fashions and hairstyles, by viral TikTok clips and football matches, by communions, university acceptances, school graduations and driving tests. And when Grandma turns 70, the grandchildren simply cancel their university trips and Whitsun celebrations to spend an unforgettable weekend with her. Not because they have to, but because they want to.
How lovely it is when, besides your parents, there’s someone else who’s such a pillar of strength for you…
That’s not normal. We know that. And that’s why we celebrate it all the more. Long may she live. So very long.
Happy happy birthday to you
