A grandparent’s Point Of View

From the time I gave birth to my son Jari Amanni Brooks on February 29, 1988 at 3:29 pm; until January 5, 2013, I never understood.  You ask what is it that you never understood Katina?  I never understood how my parents loved me, a teen-aged parent, so much and how they loved their grandson so much too. That they put up with me and my son.  Was it out of love, pity, the need to nurture and cultivate our lives into what they knew we would have become and are capable of today? 

I bring this up because my grandson lives with me part time and while I was on MY 2012 Christmas vacation, I became the unofficial “You Are At Home So Babysit My Baby Babysitter.” I’m became Confused because, this was MY vacation isn’t it???? 

My son, age 24 and 11/12^th’s, thinks being a parent is all relative yet I beg to differ.  He still can’t give me a young folk definition of Relative)  I digress…Just think:  you have waited ALL YEAR for CHRISTmas time to roll around so that you can get up AT WILL, go to bed AT WILL, do whatever AT WILL until you are made the unofficial babysitter. This puts a kink in your plan. 

My grandson and I began our day at 7:30 am watching NO LISTENING to PBS’ Arthur the opening theme song for 2 hours while eating breakfast; then followed by an outdoor adventure to the backyard for an hour.  After that, we came back inside for 2 hours to warm up and eat lunch.  I, I mean, WE take a much needed nap for 1 ½ hours.  I get up quietly to make a snack and begin dinner then by that time, my son is home to enjoy a well-rested toddler before they take a bath and it is bedtime.

I am soo thankful that my son has an opportunity to be with his son, retraction. I mean I so thankful that I have an opportunity to be an active participant in my grandsons’ upbringing. 

Imagine it 8:30pm on any given weeknight and you are home on vacation you have been up with a toddler ALL DAY..by this time I am pooped…completely exhausted.  Too tired to enjoy my “at-home communion” – I just shower and go to sleep. As I doze off I hear the sargent from Full Metal Jacket yelling, “Enjoy your sleep soldier…You have to be up at Oh 7 hundred…”  REALLY, really? 

My poor dog and cat, they beat me to bed EVERY night because a toddler really toddles and they are tired from running from him all day.

I said all that to say this. 

THE Katina S. Brooks PSA:  Young people, when you have children and you still live at home with your parents think about how you child will affect the ENTIRE family…right down to the pets.  Be Kind Rewind, Don’t Do It, Stranger Danger, Just Say No. 

I have always thanked my parents for an exceptional job they did raising me and helping me raise my son.  I now feel the growing pains they must to have experienced and I need them now to pray for me and my son and my grandson’s family…because my grandson is THE MAN OF MY LIFE – and children now-a-days need all the support they can receive.  I love my Life, I love my Parents Albert and Gwendolyn Brooks, I love my son Jari Amanni Brooks, Sr. and my grandson Jari Amanni Brooks, II.