Grandma, You Can't Say That

Did you hear what grandma just said?

Right out of the mouths of children, one generation to another.

Living in our family home growing up, this grandma was raised to respect others. To not swear, to be kind to others and most importantly always respect your elders.

I knew there were going to be consequences, time out in my room, standing in the corner, or moms - wooden spoon ,she would race after you with. Actually I remember just seeing that spoon and running ,but stand there and cry like crazy. I had one sibling that every time mom would get out the spoon, she would laugh and laugh until my mom started laughing. We all dealt with our disciplining differently.

Sure, the middle child as I am. I loved to stir up fun. As they always said there were no rules for the eldest, I am the reason for the rules and the baby did not require them. I know that is true.

I loved adventure, to be honest those rules were broken many times. Just for the action and thrill of watching my parents, time out in my room - meant reading some really good books. My time - or most times it meant time for myself and enjoying what I like to do.

My parents were amazing, I respected them. As dad use to say I was the challenge.

Raising Our Family

We had rules, much different than our parents. No technology, you cannot go out until you listen. I did not have that amazing spoon, I on the other hand would try talk it out.

Let me tell you I learned a lot about talk it out. Especially our second child Mom was wrong and they were right, yet when dad got home. A completely different approach, dad had the words and the power to get the kids to listen.

The teen years were a struggle, I will be home around ten. I always knew where they were, they had cell phones. Yet to be honest with you, again the second child may have told me where they would first be going, by the end of the night and tracking her down, was not always where she said she was going.

She, much like her mom loved challenge and adventure. My dad use to laugh as he said, now it is all your turn. Chuckle, Chuckle.

But to be honest, our adult children are really wonderful, my husband and I are so blessed.

Learning Life Now With Our Grandchildren

I can recall this said at the table of our home many times when I was growing up. Beans, Beans the magical fruit. The more you eat, the more you toot. The more you toot, the better you feel. Lets each beans for every meal. Chuckle, Chuckle.

Now I have two of the most amazing grandchildren. They are so adorable. Put apparently I am accused of saying bad words. They say words ,that if I ever said , yes you guessed it the big bar of yellow soap would be my treat for the day. Yuck, bubble. bubble.

I was told that I could say that crap can be thrown in the garbage. Crap is a really bad word, whispering in each other ears. The famous word they can say is, fart. Wow I just about jumped out of my seat when they said that.

You cannot say that, its a bad, word. I was wrong its was they call toot. Who would have known. Guess the bean song is going to have to be changed.

Beans, Beans, the magical art. The more you eat, the more you fart. The more you fart, the better you feel. Lets eat beans for every meal.

I really wish my parents were here, my dad would shake his head, laughing of course.

The other is the word fetish, I will not allow anybody to touch my feet. I actually just cannot stand it, when asked I always say I have a foot fetish.

Apparently the eldest and teen of our grandchildren said, please grandma can you call that something else. Its a really bad word, its not something I would say or should you.

There is no time out for me, no soap and I really wonder are they telling me the truth.

They are, confirmation from parent. They just do not want old grandma swearing. Or embarrassing them or myself.

So I have been researching words that are swear words and are not swear words. I might as well just quit talking. Or maybe its time to learn a different language. There are a few really bad ones from my generation that still exist. We do need the swear word dictionary to keep us all up to date, so I can be that polite young grandma my parents always taught me to be.

Appreciation

I value that my grandchildren look out for me. They both ,as many other children grow fast and their learning is over the top, compared to the 1960s to the 1970s.

I only finished school, always typing on a typewriter to going to computer college. They can understand and operate the computers at a much higher level. I notice that they are taught at grades that were way ahead of what I learned, or their parents.

The brains of the youths today are amazing. After listening to them and teaching me new and interesting things, I am proud of them. Most important I hope that they continue to be challenged even with COVID going on and school being closed. The on-line learning is interesting, sadly the social distance from their friends is hard.

One thing I know, they cope way better than this grandma ever did.

The Greatest Blessing Of All - Family