Things Only Grandparents Will Understand

1. You're baby just had a baby!

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Witnessing your baby grow into an adult is a unique experience in itself, but actually seeing them have their own baby is a whole other story.  The excitement and the rush of emotions that grandparents tend to feel when they get the news that their first grandchild is on the way is like no other feeling in the world.

2. The feeling of being a grandparent for the first time

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Becoming a grandparent for the first time is an exciting experience.  But the truth is, it can also be a little daunting.  Many experienced grandparents will tell you that your baby caring skills have probably gotten a little rusty over the years, so this experience not only feels nostalgic, but it feels completely new and exciting too!

3. How it feels to be called by your new name

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So you might have lots of experience being called mom, ma, mam, mommy; or whatever name your child chose to call you, but now you're going to have a new name to answer to.  And this feels both exciting and rather strange, considering the fact that you probably don't feel old enough to have a grandparent's name.

4. Especially after spending way too much time debating what you'll be called

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And just like all of the options you and your kid can choose from when you become a parent, there seem to be so many more names that you can call a grandparent.  So no doubt you've spent rather a lot of time considering whether you want to be called grandmother, granny, nanny, nana, abuela, bibi, ba, avo, babcia, some something else!

5. Even though they'll just call you whatever name they come up with any way

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No matter how long you spend debating your new nickname, your grandkid will no doubt choose for you as soon as they start to develop their language skills. And there's absolutely no doubt that it'll be something completely different from what you decided upon anyway!

6. The magic of being able to spoil your grandchildren with treats...

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There is definitely one thing that all grandparents can probably agree upon, and probably only understand because they ARE grandparents! And that's the fact that it's probably OK for you to spoil your precious grandchildren more often than once in a while as long as you agree not to tell their parents... They love it!

7. ...and being able to hand them back to their parents

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And the best thing about filling them with sugar and getting them excited is that YOU don't have to deal with trying to calm them down later on.  You can hand them back to their parents and you can relax... Now we're not saying that it's a bit of payback for when they were younger... but...

8. That rush of nostalgia

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Having grandkids of your own can really get that feeling of nostalgia bubbling to the surface.  You might feel it when they play with your old toys and games, or even when you see your own kid navigating the treacherous lands of parenthood.  It might remind you of when you first became a parent and probably bring a little tear to your eye.

9. How quickly time flies

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Looking back, it's really difficult to understand how you got to this point in your life so fast, and time is only continuing to fly by even faster!  In fact, you can remember the day you welcomed your own baby into the world like it was just yesterday, and not they're having their own baby!

10. Those bittersweet moments when you realize that they're not babies anymore

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It's true, time does fly by so quickly that you feel like you blink and you miss a few years.  And before you know it, rather than being tiny babies that need lots of cuddles, your grandchildren are towering over you like big independent grown-ups.  No matter how proud they make you, you still wish you could rewind the clock a little to relive some precious moments.

11. The worry that never really goes away

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So your baby has had a baby, which means that they're older and probably a lot more independent than they used to be.  They've proven that they can look after themselves, as well as another life, but you still cannot stop worrying about them.  Even though you know that you don't need to worry, that's what parenthood makes you do, isn't it?

12. The reciprocation of unconditional love is slightly different this time

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So you've got that unconditional love for your own child, and it was reciprocated, especially when they were babies.  But this time, even though you have the same kid of unconditional love for your grandbabies, it's not reciprocated in the same way.  Don't take it personally though, they'll come round once they get to know you!

13. How important it is to create memories

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So, you're a grandparent now, which means you're getting older. And as you age, you begin to understand that making memories with your family is hugely important. You have to enjoy life and appreciate the little things, especially when it comes to sharing time with your grandkids.

14. Being able to share your wisdom

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So you've been around the block a few times, which means that you've probably gained a bit of wisdom along the way. Many grandparents enjoy imparting their wisdom to their grandkids and probably find that it's much easier when they're little. They seem to just stop listening when they get to their teenage years! Don't worry, they'll listen again one day!

15. Mastering the art of telling the best bedtime stories

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When you were a parent, you probably needed story books to help you with the bedtime routine, but now you're a grandparent, you can certainly do away with those. You life experiences have given you the gift of storytelling and you're so good at it that you don't need a book anymore!

16. How they keep you young at heart

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Now you've got grandkids, the average age of your social circle has probably lowered a few decades so it's no wonder they keep you young at heart. You're probably more active and are more down with the kids than you've ever been, not to mention your newfound ability to use a selfie stick!

17. Realizing you have lots in common

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Despite your age gap, it turns out you do actually have a lot in common. Especially because they bring out your inner child and their ways and interests probably remind you of yourself when you were little all of those years ago! Just watch out for them stealing your vinyl records, or 'vintage' clothes, when they're a bit older...

18. The fun of being able to bend the rules now and again

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One of the most fun things about being a grandparent that many grandparents get is the fact that you can bend the rules a little with your grandchildren. Their parents might tell you that there's no ice cream for breakfast and that they need to be asleep before 8 pm, but you're not about to follow them and, besides, it's your little secret, right? They love coming to your house!

19. Seeing the world through their eyes

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Seeing the world through your grandkid's eyes makes it much more of a wondrous place.  Children really do give you a new perspective on life and the world around you, helping you to appreciate the little things, find beauty in the simplest elements, and stare in amazement at some of the most mind-boggling features that we usually take for granted.

20. Technology sucks a little

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Being a grandparent nowadays probably forces you to engage with technology more than you'd like to. Even really young kids are able to make that scrolling motion with their finger on a screen and, to be honest, they put you to shame. But no matter how much you try to learn, you're just not THAT interested...

21. Realizing you don't have to 'like' every single social media post

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Whilst we're on the subject of technology, as a grandparent, it's probably more than likely that your grandchildren have told you how to use social media correctly and that you don't need to like and comment on absolutely everything they share. And you don't need to write down everything you're currently doing in your bio either...

22. The urge to remind everyone that you're a grandparent at every opportunity

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You're a grandparent, we get it. But do you do that thing where you have to remind everyone and their pet hamster that you're, in fact, a grandparent? We thought so because you're certainly not alone. Many people who have recently become grandparents will certainly relate to this!

23. The struggles of babyproofing your house

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You've babyproofed your house already, albeit a good few years ago, but now it's time to do it again. And it's so much harder this time around, what with your house filled with trinkets that you have collected over the many years and your joints not being what they used to be (probably).

24. Never having enough photos of your grandchildren

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No matter how many of the same photographs you take on your phone, you just never seem to have enough. And you certainly don't have enough printed and in frames anymore. In fact, you're still a regular at the film developers, and probably one of the only ones because people are all digital now!

25. Babysitting... need we say more?

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So the weekend is rolling around again and you're waiting for the call... If you're a grandparent, you know that call. The one that usually comes on a Thursday evening to see if you're free to babysit at some point over the weekend. And no matter how much you want to, your really struggle to actually say no.

26. All of the baby stuff isn't as easy this time around

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Back in your day (as you might say), you never had to carry around a diaper bag the size of a suitcase, baby proof every single inch of your house, or even set up endless complicated baby furniture. Or maybe you did...  Either way, it doesn't feel as easy as it did when you had kids of your own!

27. Naptime is the highlight of your day

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When you are in charge of your grandkids, and you're lucky enough for them to still nap, it's no doubt the highlight of your day. You've enjoyed entertaining and making endless feeds and snacks so much that you certainly deserve a nap too, don't you?!

28. Struggling to remember whether you've told them this story before

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You parted with so much wisdom and told many tales but you just can't remember if you've told this one before. Don't worry though, your grandchildren will soon tell you if you're repeating yourself. In fact, it's become a little in-joke for them to share at your expense. Precious aren't they?

29. You know about the 'why' questions and you've kept your sanity!

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After having your own children, you're getting another turn at mastering certain things that you were probably just too tired to bother with back then. And at the top of your list was coming up with creative answers to all of those curious 'why' questions without losing your sanity. And By Jove we think you've done it!

30. Knowing that being a grandparent is one of life's gifts

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It's no secret that becoming a grandparent is one of life's precious gifts. You've got all of the joy and pride of watching your grandkids grow but with the luxury of handing them back to their parents at the end of the day, full of sugar and excitement. Ok, maybe you don't do that, but there's definitely one thing that we can agree on: being a grandparent is awesome!