The Circus

/ J. F. Riordan

It’s nice not to be in charge. This is why being a non-custodial grandparent is so much fun. You don’t have to be responsible. You can be funny. And silly. And a little crazy. You can speak with affectionate irony, and not be worn down with worrying about whether they turned in their homework, washed the slime out of their water bottles, and picked up their damn backpacks off the hall floor.

So, it’s good to have the boys’ mom around to do the enforcement. I can get back to being the fun one.

And we did have fun yesterday, even at the grocery store. The boys were barely reined in racehorses pulling at the bit. Naturally, they were in charge of the shopping cart, which is potentially disastrous, but people were in a mood to smile indulgently when I apologized and rolled my eyes, calling out “Say excuse me!” to the boys and “I’m so sorry,” to innocent passersby. The boys were polite nevertheless, and, if I may say it, so adorable it was impossible to be annoyed.

The eleven year old is particularly endearing at this stage, with his straight dark hair falling across his big brown eyes, and his shy, accented English. He’s not careful, like his brother, and at the stage of boyhood perfection: childish, wide-eyed, charming, and full of mischief. Very much like a puppy. When they’re together, the fourteen year old reverts to that phase, too, and together we become like a small traveling circus, with me as Ringmaster.

There were so many carts and people. As I moved rapidly through produce, grabbing the last few things I wanted, I looked around for them, and there they were on the far side of the section, waiting for me, and happily waving their arms to draw my attention. Their happy faces filled me with joy, and I forgot to be tired.

Children really do make Christmas.

I’ve joked a lot about having a week-long nervous breakdown when they’ve gone. But I’m going to miss them.

17 thoughts on “The Circus”

  4. The only thing better than having grandchildren, is knowing that those grandchildren love their Grandma so much. This Christmas is going to make for such happy memories for your grandsons, and for you and Charlie. Just sit back and enjoy.

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  5. Are they still at the age that when you get to the check out, you wonder how certain items got into the cart when you put everything on the conveyor belt? I loved that game, and the innocent “not me” looks when scanning for the culprit.
    Christmas is for children. The magic, the excitement, the wonder in their eyes and the indecision to believe that maybe there is a Santa Claus!
    A Merry Little Christmas to you, Charlie, the French invasion, and of course the lads.

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  6. Children really do make Christmas special! Our kids and grandkids are in California and we’re in Arkansas. So we will FaceTime. But there’s nothing like seeing the joy of the holidays on a child’s face. Enjoy every minute, and thanks for the dog pics!

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  10. You will miss them. In the stillness after their departure, reminisce about all the lovely memories that were made, along with a glass of wine and two snuggly pups. Enjoy the craziness while it lasts!

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  11. They sound like fun! We do not have children but I enjoy the two sweetest little girls who live across the street from us and their delightful parents. Rosa and Juniper love to come to my home and go up to our finished attic and look through the 500 books we have there and have me make believe I am their mother and tell them stories. The best part is when Juniper, who is 4 starts to get cranky towards her 6 year old sister, I can send them home and let their mother deal with it!

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  12. Grandparents are meant to be fun and silly. Glad you are having that opportunity. Children really DO make Christmas. I find the holiday rather dull now that there are no children in my life. Enjoy your special holiday time.

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