An Unusual Way to Connect with a Grandchild

For the past 15 years, I have been volunteering at our church’s vacation bible school (VBS). While I was working for Lincoln Public Schools, I took vacation time to connect with our church and our grandkids. I wanted to connect with them personally and spiritually. Okay, maybe that was a stretch.

Our three granddaughters, who are the oldest of the four, were always eager and ready to participate in the various activities provided at VBS. They sang, they danced, they painted and played games.

Our grandson felt differently. Maybe it was birth order. Maybe it was older siblings who boldly led the way. Who knows. He cried through every minute of the first three years of VBS. The poor baby boy was an introvert, and I was determined to change that status.

Grandchildren as Helpers

Throughout the years, I have continued volunteering at VBS and the grandkids were my helpers, if their schedules permitted. Fast forward to 2016 VBS. Our grandson was the only one of our grandchildren who could fit VBS in his schedule. Yay for me since I was in charge of community service projects, and I needed the assistance! This year, he was my only sidekick.

Our VBS focused on four things:

• God knows you
• God hears you
• God strengthens you
• God loves you

I don’t mean to make this a religious blog—just wait, it really is a grandma blog!

Each day of the week, I did arm motions to match the VBS focus: God knows, God hears, God strengthens, God loves. It was the strengthen day that bonded me to my grandson.

I showed “God strengthens you” while flexing my arm muscles. Makes sense since I pointed to my head for knows, pointed to my ear for hears and pointed to my heart for love. Flexing is appropriate for strength, right? Things were going well, really well.

Connecting (and Laughing) Through the Innocence of Toddlers

A quiet four-year-old crawled into my lap while I was doing the “strengthening” arm flex. I thought, oh I have really touched this little angel. My volunteering will make her a better person. This is the reason I volunteer for VBS every summer. She looked into my eyes and was mesmerized. I loved her!

Shortly after she sat in my lap, she started to run her finger back and forth on the under side of my arm. Yep, the flabby, saggy, “grandma” arm flesh. I looked at my grandson, and he was laughing so hard that he was crying. After the class, my grandson and I talked—no, laughed out loud about the day, the kids and our experience.

I know my grandson won’t remember this as a major event in his life, but I will. It was a time when a small child was honest, comfortable in her surroundings, shared her feelings and smiled. My grandson witnessed a small child seeing his grandma from a different perspective. I smiled, laughed and rejoiced that we were able to share in the moment.

Life is good, and so is being a grandma. Saggy arms not withstanding.

At least my grandson didn’t cry this year! Bonus!