The best ideas are shared ideas

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This blog has made me a better grandma. Not because of anything I've done, but what the readers of Grandma's Briefs have done for me.

One of the biggest courtesies of the grandmas who visit my site has been the wonderful ideas they share so freely, through their comments, the Grilled Grandma feature and on their very own blogs.

It's a few of those great ideas that made my recent adventure with Bubby all the more fun, all the more memorable.

First off was a suggestion from Grandma Nina, blogger at Grandma Ideas. A week or so before the whirlwind back-and-forth visit with Bubby, Nina featured the coolest of cool gadgets on her site: a Water-Balloon Factory. The moment I saw it, I had to have it. So I ordered it. And, luckily, it arrived just in time for the family to enjoy a few smashing and splashing sessions on the patio with Bubby.

 

It truly was one of the highlights for Bubby.

The second fab idea came by way of Grandma Shelley of Grandma's Little Pearls, who featured a post on her blog not too long ago about an ideal way to entertain grandsons: take them to a construction site to watch the heavy equipment dig, dump and demolish ... or build. Well, it just so happens I have a construction site right across the road from my house, where my crazy new neighbors are building the biggest of big shopping-center replica homes.

Bubby took every opportunity to hang out in the front yard or peer out the front windows in hopes of getting his fill of the "big truck" and "dump truck" action.

After all the fun was done and Bubby safely returned to his home, I decided to delve into a project recommended by Grandma Karen in her Grilled Grandma feature: I'm making a scrapbook of our ambitious adventure. Bubby can peruse the pages at leisure, recalling all the good times we had during his first-ever solo trip to Gramma and PawDad's, sandwiched between visits from Gramma at his house.

Here are a few of the special moments that scrapbook will feature:

As the success of the visit sinks in with Megan and Preston -- and they fondly recall the vacation it allowed them, as well -- I'm hoping to make the most of one more idea shared by nearly all the grandmas I've met through this blog: arranging annual trips for Bubby to visit Gramma and PawDad on his own!

I've got my fingers crossed as I look forward to next summer's adventure!

Today's question:

If money were no consideration, what one fun activity/event would you choose to do each and every summer?

9 things grandmas should never do

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1. Never disrespect the choices of your grandbaby's parents. Questionable bedtimes, meals, discipline and more? Sure, you can disagree with the choices, just do so respectfully. As long as you ...

2. Never voice your disagreement or disapproval with the parents in front of your grandchild. Mommy and Daddy are the last word. Grandchildren don't need more ammunition in their battle for getting their way, and repeating words of disagreement from Grandma would be sure-fire ammunition.

3. Never secretly break Mom and Dad's rules. If tantrums mean Junior gets a time-out, give him a time-out. If 8 p.m. is bedtime, tuck him in when the clock chimes eight times. If Mom says only one popsicle, don't you dare offer a second. What? Grandmas are meant to break rules, you say? Notice I said never secretly break the rules. The key is to do it loud and proud and let everyone know in advance the rules will likely be bent a smidgen -- possibly even smashed to pieces -- when Grandma's in charge. Simply be upfront, not underhanded.

4. Never talk bad about your grandchild's other grandparents. Even if you're clearly the very, very best grandma ever, your grandchild still loves his or her other grandma and grandpa. Accept it, deal with it, and don't act like a jealous 12-year-old girl about it.

5. Never try to buy your grandchild's love. Any kid will smile, maybe even squeal with delight, over toys, gadgets, games and other goodies. But things shouldn't make up your PDAs (primary displays of affection). It's time and attention the kiddos want -- and what they'll most love you for.

6. Never ply your grandchild for information about Mom and Dad. Maybe they're going through rough financial times, maybe the marital bliss isn't so blissful, maybe they won the lottery and don't want to share the dough. Whatever the case causing you to be Nosy Nelly, it really is none of your business. Don't recruit your grandchildren for special ops in attempts to make it your business.

7. Never think your bad habits go unnoticed. Swearing, smoking, sipping too much of the sauce, double-dipping, overeating, complaining about your looks, your size, your big butt in the mirror. Little pitchers have big ears ... and eyes ... and impressionable hearts and minds on which such things are etched, things that can be detrimental to his or her physical and psychological well-being. Yeah, even grandmas have issues; just do your best to not pass them along to your grandchildren. They'll undoubtedly have plenty of issues of their own.

8. Never forget that you're a mother, too, not just a grandmother. Love on and brag about the grandchildrens' parents any chance you get. This goes a long way in maintaining the bond with your adult children ... and increases your grandchild's ever-important pride in his or her parents.

9. Never take the time with your grandchildren for granted. Every single minute with the little ones -- whether those minutes include stinky diapers and equally stinky attitudes or giggles and grins and big squeezes around Grandma's neck -- is a gift. Graciously accept it. Sincerely appreciate it. Heartily give thanks for it.

This post is featured in the About.com: Grandparents September Blog Carnival: Grandparents and Grandparenting.

Today's question:

What would you add to the list of things grandmas should never do?

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Pink sky at night

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I've made it no secret that I don't like the desert, the place Bubby and his parents call home. It's too cuss hot, there are few -- if any -- real trees, and it's filled with creepy crawly yucky poisonous things.

I must admit, though, that it does provide gorgeous sunsets.

It's certainly not enough to persuade me to move there, but I'm happy Bubby and Megan regularly enjoy the colorful evenings.

Today's question:

Mountains, desert, oceanside, plains ... what's your favored setting for 'home'?

Baby knows best

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Not much time to write a lengthy post today as I'm following Bubby's lead and stopping to smell the roses, er, hollyhocks.

In other words, I'm making the most of the last precious moments with my grandson before heading home to the mountains tomorrow.

Happy Friday the 13th!

Today's question:

What's the worst thing -- or the best thing -- that has ever happened to you on a Friday the 13th?

My answer: Brianna was walking home from school on a Friday the 13th her freshman year of high school and was struck by a senior driving back to the school for football practice. Miraculously, she fared surprisingly well. (Mom's frazzled nerves didn't survive the episode nearly as well.)

Grandma's assistant baker

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Not only was Bubby's visit to Grandma's the first time he rode on a plane without Mom or Dad and the first time he slept in the big boy guest room all by himself, it was his very first time to bake cookies -- chocolate-chip cookies! -- with Grandma.

 

Mmmm, mmmm, mmmm! Finger-lickin' good!

Today's question:

Chocolate-chip cookies are my signature baked good. What is yours? (If anyone wants the recipe from another commenter, say so in the comments and I'll conduct a recipe swap through e-mail. OR ... you're welcome to include your recipe with your comment to begin with!)

Lessons in hair-coloring

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With all the things I had to do in preparation for Bubby's visit, I had to let something slide, and my seriously graying hair that oh-so desperately needed color was unfortunately it.

Which meant I definitely had no choice but to color it during Bubby's visit.

Let me just say that I had forgotten how difficult it is to get much done on a household -- or personal -- level when there's a two-year-old in the house. Especially taking the time to color your hair.

Wait! I never colored my hair when my daughters were toddlers. So attempting the coloring -- with its specific time allotments in which any deviation from said time may have dire consequences -- while in charge of Bubby was a new lesson for this grandma.

I'm proud to say it was a lesson I aced pretty quickly! I just set up Bubby right outside the bathroom door with a pile of cars, truck and motorcycles. While he vroomed and zoomed and lined up the vehicles, I dibbed and dabbed and darkened my roots.

 I thought I was pretty darn bright for figuring out how to successfully occupy my grandson while I catered to my vanity.

Not so bright? Taking the time to snap these photos of Bubby during the coloring process. My far-too-dark tresses and the brown ring on my face around my hairline are irrefutable proof of that.

Oh well. At least Bubby can't revert to calling me Graya anymore.

At least not during this visit.

Today's question:

What's your most regrettable hair-color (or style) experience?