Grandpa’s big weekend with the grandson is over. Grandpa is feeling a little let down. Like, what do I do today? Things, of course. But not really fun things. Just the odd things that normally occupy my time. I am pleased to report the daughter reports the grandson had a great time and it was mostly all he could talk about on the way home. That makes me happy.

The big surprise for mom was the seven-year-old son now preferring to take a shower rather than a bath because he’s grown up and grandpa taught him how. Mostly I turned on the water, pointed out the soap and left him to his own devices. Besides, I don’t have a bathtub. I did make sure he got completely dry when he finished, again, in a supervisory capacity, pointing out spots he missed, because big boys don’t need help drying themselves, they just need a bit of advice the first time through.

I confess, I’m already planning his next trip to town, which makes his mom happy. I mean, we love our kids, but sometimes its nice to ship them off to grandpa or grandma’s. It was the blessing I enjoyed with our three. My wife’s mother lived right down the street and around the corner. We could all walk to maw-maw’s, and she was happy to take them and I was happy to let her. Now, I’m doing the same for my daughter and around we all go. And I think I might go turn on a kids show just for the memories and the happy noise.

John W. Wilson is the author of The Long Goodbye: A Caregiver's Tale