the grandparents club - part one

As a kid growing up Dave and I spent a lot of time with our extended family on both my Mom and my Dad's side. There were countless weekend afternoons spent with Aunts, Uncles, cousins and of course my Grandparents at their respective houses.

My Mom's parents lived on a farm where my Mom grew up. Time spent there meant climbing trees, picking raspberries, tire swings, lying on a blanket under the shade of the trees, sitting on the tractor or the grader (it was even better if the grader was hooked up to the tractor) and bean salad in my Aunt's tupperware (something I have never developed a taste for, but it still makes the odd appearance at family functions).

My Dad's parents lived in a small house a few blocks from ours in the city. The same house my Dad grew up in. Time spent there meant wading pools by the patio, soccer croquet, lounge chairs, fish shaped crackers, being called "my pet" and the most delicious belgian cookies you've ever tasted in your life.

I've read somewhere, long forgotten now, that kids that had regular quality family time have higher self esteem, do better in school and are less likely to experiment with drugs and alcohol. I thought about my own childhood and all the wonderful memories I have of time spent with family. I managed to grow up without giving my Mom too much grief (no need to comment here Mother.... move along) and I'm sure those two facts are related.

Before Christmas all of this was on my mind a lot. Mike and I are from the "it takes a village to raise a child camp". We receive a tremendous amount of support from our families that comes in many different forms and it is all greatly appreciated. The girl's grandparents are all active in their lives, but it's pretty organic. There's no real rhyme or reason to it. They babysit as necessary. Or they take the kids overnight when they know I we need a break. Or they let me vent about any one of the million things that make being Maya's Mom a challenge. And there is so much more that the kids are never aware of. So I thought I should show them that family time is important in a tangible way and just like that I created the Grandparent's Club. For Christmas they all received a card, inside I listed the particulars of their Club and each Club is unique to the receiving Grandparent.

Two months into the project and I have to say I am enjoying it immensely. Mike worried that the gift of these Clubs would make us look "poor". [insert eye roll here] Like when you were a kid and made your Mom coupon books. I say it's probably the greatest gift I could have given all of us. Mike now agrees.

Stayed tuned for Part 2 - The Dinner of the Month Club.