I’m Someone’s Grandchild But I Need To Be A Better One.

My kids make terrific grandchildren.

If that sounds like I’m boasting a bit, I am. But, I’m not exaggerating. And, #sorrynotsorry because when it comes to grandchildren and their everloving grandparents, they would both confidently tell you the same and forgo any sort of apology.

My kids, whose ages are

almost 8, 5.5, and nearly 3.5,

are vigorous, pint-sized, joke-cracking, noise-making, affection-giving love nuggets.

And, this should come as no surprise — their grandparents LOVE the hell out of them.

They REALLY LOOOOOOOOVVVVVVVEEEEE them.

They love them in a way that both my mother and mother-in-law have stated I cannot and will not fully understand until I become a grandparent myself.

Still, I suspect there’s got to be something so blissfully strange, yet wonderfully fulfilling about your baby having a baby, and then you having the opportunity to love on your grown baby and the new-to-the-world newborn, toddler, or even adolescent version of them, as well.

In a close family, there is this ridiculously unique bond that exists between grandparents and their grandbabies of any age.

And, as a parent, to be able to observe the love, affection, support, and lessons that transpire between these varied age individuals, whom I love, it makes my soul happy, and I know it’s filling each of their respective love tanks as well.

Now, lately, all of this grandparent-loving got me thinking…

I’m someone’s grandchild.

I am many someones’ grandchild.

But have I been, and am I, a good one?

You see, me as a grandchild, at 33 years of age, with three kids, two dogs, a husband, a home, and a work-for-myself job, I’m routinely exhausted, anxious, and almost irrationally busy trying to do and be it all.

But, what if I suggest that all of that, well, it makes me slightly self-absorbed?

My grandparents wouldn’t agree.

They’d tell you I’m far from selfish and that I’m rocking everything I’m doing.

I have a beautiful, intelligent grandmother who regularly tells me, “I don’t know how you do it all, but you do.”

But, the thing is — I don’t.

I don’t do it, ’cause if I were good at it all, I’d be a better adult grandchild, and I would be

calling them more,

seeing them more,

sending them pictures more,

visiting them more,

and staying longer when I do visit.

But, here comes another non-surprise —

regardless of whether I do, or don’t, my grandparents will continue to LOVE the hell out of me.

Because they REALLY LOOOOOOOOVVVVVVVEEEEE me.

Just like my kids’ grandparents really love them.

And, that’s because grandparents are the best and they are enamored with you and love you both because of and in spite of you.

If you are lucky enough to have someone so glued to your corner,

claiming their spot,

exclaiming their rightful place beside you loudly and proudly to anyone that will listen and pretty regularly even to those that don’t want to hear it,

so willing to give support,

so non-judgmental,

so honest,

so loyal,

so giving,

so funny,

so wise

and so unconditionally devoted to your success, growth, and happiness,

then you need to be a better grandchild to them.

You must be the kind of grandchild your kids are now.

You need to be a grandchild who brings them excitement.

You need to be as communicative, doting, respectful, and selfless with your time, money, energy, thoughts, and prayers as these amazing human beings are to you and their great-grandkids.

Grandparents are the most undervalued, unacknowledged, and underappreciated treasures of this world — let’s change that.

This story originally appeared on @jthreeNMe on Facebook