GRAND Vol. III Ed. II

Page 18

Staying Connected

Grandparenting from Afar

A

s the proud grandmother of a six-year-old grandson (my older son’s little boy), I was thrilled recently to learn that I am to be a grand-

Susan Gnucci is a local author and a proud “nonna” to an adorable six-yearold grandson. She enjoys sharing her experiences as a first-time grandparent.

18  GRAND

mother for a second time, this time with my younger son and his wife. My joy with this news, however, was tempered by a sobering fact—though I live in the same city as my first grandson, I live 3,000 kilometers away from my younger son and his wife. When my first grandson was born, it was so easy to be present at his birth and help out in those early days when sleep for new parents is such a precious commodity and home-cooked meals are much appreciated. And I was always eager to provide babysitting at every opportunity. I’ve been lucky to be able to spend every occasion with him: birthday

parties, Easter egg hunts, Mother’s Day picnics, Thanksgiving turkey dinners, and a host of activities every Christmas. I realize, however, that I will only see my second grandson—yes, it’s another boy!—at best twice each year because I still work full-time, and even more daunting, because the distance separating us is so great. I wish my own parents were still alive so I could commiserate with them; they lived 600 kilometers away from my sons as they grew up, and even though this distance isn’t that far, we still only saw them twice each year. For one thing, it was expensive to get on and off the Island, and flying a family of four simply wasn’t in our budget. For another, my parents also both worked so it wasn’t easy for them to get away either. Until now, I didn’t fully appreciate how difficult it must have been for them to be so far away from their only grandsons. I remember we packed as much as we could into every one of their visits, making a concerted effort to enjoy every moment together. As my sons grew older, my parents would gift each of them with a crisp $100 bill on every visit (in lieu of treating them throughout the year). I can still picture their eyes, wide with excitement, as they held their new fortune. To them, it was a windfall. I realize I will have to make the most out of every visit with my new grandson. What I lack in quantity, I will have to make up for in quality. Time together will be such a precious commodity. When I was raising my family, I would phone my parents every Sunday. My sons rarely came to the grandmag.ca


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