To The Grandparents
The moment my siblings and I started having kids, even before I had moved back to Charleston, my parents made a point to make their home as easy as possible for us to visit.
They got a crib. They got a monitor. They had diapers in every size.
When someone was getting rid of a baby bouncer or changing table, they took it.
For Christmas, mom asked for a double stroller.
As babies grew to toddlers, they turned one bedroom into a playroom.
Nicer items that once adorned coffee tables got placed on higher shelves while the lowest pantry shelf now overflows with single serving kids’ snacks.
Potty training started and they installed a kids’ toilet seat and got a stool. The mattresses got waterproof covers.
The upstairs bathtub now has toys and tear free shampoo.
They are now the proud owners of two electric cars, a playset, and various car seats. To the outsider it looks like they’re running an in home daycare.
They made it clear they wanted us there by creating a home we all wanted to come to. We arrive and the kids dart for the playroom or the backyard or a snack, while the adults take a collective exhale.
To all the grandparents out there allowing the home you love to revert back to the days of toddlerhood, complete with crumbs on your floors and handprints on your windows, thank you. We don’t say it enough, but your exhausted children are so grateful ❤️
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