I found the imagination of becoming a grandmother somewhat discouraging.
I
found
the
imagination
of
becoming
a
grandmother
somewhat
discouraging
.
I was younger than I thought a grandmother should be when I got the news that I was going to become one myself.
I
was
younger
than
I
thought
a
grandmother
should
be
when
I
got
the
news
that
I
was
going
to
become
one
myself
.
I admit, it was not a role that I was emotionally ready to accept.
I
admit
,
it
was
not
a
role
that
I
was
emotionally
ready
to
accept
.
I had been a young mother, and had certainly hoped my daughter would not face that same challenge.
I
had
been
a
young
mother
,
and
had
certainly
hoped
my
daughter
would
not
face
that
same
challenge
.
I remarried when she was a teenager, and then had two more children.
I
remarried
when
she
was
a
teenager
,
and
then
had
two
more
children
.
On getting the news that she was expecting, I remember thinking "What do I know about being a grandmother?
On
getting
the
news
that
she
was
expecting
,
I
remember
thinking
``
What
do
I
know
about
being
a
grandmother
?
-- I haven't even finished raising my own kids yet!"
--
I
have
n't
even
finished
raising
my
own
kids
yet
!
''
I don't like to be unprepared, so I read a few books about grandparenting.
I
do
n't
like
to
be
unprepared
,
so
I
read
a
few
books
about
grandparenting
.
That gave me a little help, but I was still uncertain.
That
gave
me
a
little
help
,
but
I
was
still
uncertain
.
I thought about other grandmothers I knew, and got a few ideas I liked and a few more that I didn't.
I
thought
about
other
grandmothers
I
knew
,
and
got
a
few
ideas
I
liked
and
a
few
more
that
I
did
n't
.
But I couldn't quite figure out what kind of grandmother I wanted to be.
But
I
could
n't
quite
figure
out
what
kind
of
grandmother
I
wanted
to
be
.
Then I thought about my own grandmother, Granny, as she's known by most people, and I knew I had the answer.
Then
I
thought
about
my
own
grandmother
,
Granny
,
as
she
's
known
by
most
people
,
and
I
knew
I
had
the
answer
.
I didn't realize it until that moment, but my own grandmother was the example for the kind of grandmother I wanted to be.
I
did
n't
realize
it
until
that
moment
,
but
my
own
grandmother
was
the
example
for
the
kind
of
grandmother
I
wanted
to
be
.
I am fortunate that I got to spend a lot of time with my grandparents when I was a little kid.
I
am
fortunate
that
I
got
to
spend
a
lot
of
time
with
my
grandparents
when
I
was
a
little
kid
.
Here is what I learned from my Granny:
Here
is
what
I
learned
from
my
Granny
:
Grandmothers always have a cookie jar.
Grandmothers
always
have
a
cookie
jar
.
For my whole life, Granny always had a cookie jar full of cookies.
For
my
whole
life
,
Granny
always
had
a
cookie
jar
full
of
cookies
.
When I was a little tiny girl, just at eye level with the counter, Granny would get the cookie jar down for me.
When
I
was
a
little
tiny
girl
,
just
at
eye
level
with
the
counter
,
Granny
would
get
the
cookie
jar
down
for
me
.
When I was a little older I learned how to pull the chair over so I could reach.
When
I
was
a
little
older
I
learned
how
to
pull
the
chair
over
so
I
could
reach
.
As I got taller, if I really stretched, I could reach the cookie jar with my finger tips and move it close enough to get it down off the counter to find out what kind of treat was inside.
As
I
got
taller
,
if
I
really
stretched
,
I
could
reach
the
cookie
jar
with
my
finger
tips
and
move
it
close
enough
to
get
it
down
off
the
counter
to
find
out
what
kind
of
treat
was
inside
.
Always the first thing I did when I went to Granny's house was check the cookie jar, and there were always cookies in it.
Always
the
first
thing
I
did
when
I
went
to
Granny
's
house
was
check
the
cookie
jar
,
and
there
were
always
cookies
in
it
.
Many years later, I'll drive my own children to Granny's house and the first thing to do is get us all a cookie.
Many
years
later
,
I
'll
drive
my
own
children
to
Granny
's
house
and
the
first
thing
to
do
is
get
us
all
a
cookie
.
So grandmothers must have a cookie jar, and on my granddaughter' s first Christmas, my daughter bought me my own cookie jar.
So
grandmothers
must
have
a
cookie
jar
,
and
on
my
granddaughter
'
s
first
Christmas
,
my
daughter
bought
me
my
own
cookie
jar
.
She said when they came to see me, her daughter would find the treat the way she did and I did.
She
said
when
they
came
to
see
me
,
her
daughter
would
find
the
treat
the
way
she
did
and
I
did
.
I found the imagination of becoming a grandmother somewhat discouraging. I was younger than I thought a grandmother should be when I got the news that I was going to become one myself. I admit, it was not a role that I was emotionally ready to accept. I had been a young mother, and had certainly hoped my daughter would not face that same challenge. I remarried when she was a teenager, and then had two more children. On getting the news that she was expecting, I remember thinking "What do I know about being a grandmother? -- I haven't even finished raising my own kids yet!" I don't like to be unprepared, so I read a few books about grandparenting. That gave me a little help, but I was still uncertain. I thought about other grandmothers I knew, and got a few ideas I liked and a few more that I didn't. But I couldn't quite figure out what kind of grandmother I wanted to be. Then I thought about my own grandmother, Granny, as she's known by most people, and I knew I had the answer.  I didn't realize it until that moment, but my own grandmother was the example for the kind of grandmother I wanted to be. I am fortunate that I got to spend a lot of time with my grandparents when I was a little kid. Here is what I learned from my Granny:  Grandmothers always have a cookie jar. For my whole life, Granny always had a cookie jar full of cookies. When I was a little tiny girl, just at eye level with the counter, Granny would get the cookie jar down for me. When I was a little older I learned how to pull the chair over so I could reach. As I got taller, if I really stretched, I could reach the cookie jar with my finger tips and move it close enough to get it down off the counter to find out what kind of treat was inside. Always the first thing I did when I went to Granny's house was check the cookie jar, and there were always cookies in it. Many years later, I'll drive my own children to Granny's house and the first thing to do is get us all a cookie.  So grandmothers must have a cookie jar, and on my granddaughter' s first Christmas, my daughter bought me my own cookie jar. She said when they came to see me, her daughter would find the treat the way she did and I did.