The Joy of Grandchildren

Last week the Holdraker clan added another. Son Wade and Wife Mandy had a baby girl Camryn Elizabeth Holdraker, 8.5 pounds, 22 inches long.

This is our second grandchild. Son Devin and Wife Christy gave us Eric , who is 14 months old and already a terror.

Eric clings to Grandpa, to the chagrin of Grandma who thinks spoiling children is her prerogative. Eric knows Grandpa will feed him cookies and such until he bursts. One of the first words the kid learned was ‘cookie’. I am now in the process of teaching Eric the word and sign for ‘loser’. Believe it, or not, both Devin and Christy disagree with my child rearing techniques and I have not even gotten to the good words that shock visitors.

Devin and Wade forget all the agony they put good old dad through for all the prepubescent and teenage years, to say nothing of the post college years where the open wallet phase seemed never to end.

I decided long ago that I was going to spoil any and all grandchildren, making their parent’s life hell on earth. My motto: Send em’ home on a sugar high! That is the nice part of being a Grandparent. They come, they visit, you spoil and then they leave.

I have every intention of spoiling ‘Cami’ the same way and every other grandchild my sons sire.
I told son Devin I planned on stretching my life just long enough to see grandchildren wreak havoc on their lives. I fully plan on telling the grandchildren ahead of time just what slackers their fathers were in school, what evil pranks caused notes and threats to be sent home, what detentions and old report card comments parents usually hide from their offspring.

I look forward to the day when the boys come around and tell me they are at their wits end when the kids fail to do their homework, or inform their dad the book report is due tomorrow at the end of a long school break. Perhaps I will even inform the grandkids of the teen parties that took place when Dad and Mom were out of sight.

Yes, it is good being a grandparent. None of the true responsibilities of child rearing, with all the advantages of the revenge spoiler.

I look forward to Christmas, the drum sets, the loud, obnoxious video games. Getting old has some advantages.

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