I was in my early 40s, my youngest child was 4 years old, and it never occured to me that I would have to "cope" with it. The birth of my first grandchild came along in exactly the same way as Tuesday follows Monday. Nothing about me changed, so there was
no thought of me being too young; any more than I would now feel too old for any of the things that happen in the present.
I can't imagine why a person would not want to be a grandmother. As for being called "grandma" - nobody ever called me that because "granny" happens to be the popular expression in this family. One of my great grandsons who is 6, calls me "Rosaleen" bec
ause he likes the way it sounds when he rolls the "R" and sings the rest.
If we are going to be nonplussed by milestones in our lives we will be living in a constant state of turmoil.
If you're having a problem coping with being a grandmother, you must be just pretending to be alive. Get wet. Learn to swim. Enjoy the whole of life. Don't sit off in a corner pretending it isn't real. There now - I've mixed enough metaphors for this day.
If you don't understand what I'm saying, I'll try again.
You are a complete person, the product of your genes, your culture, and your upbringing. You do not become something else because of changes around you.
I hope your grandchild is well; I know it is beautiful, they always are! And I hope your relationship with its parents will always be friendly and helpful and real. Forget "coping" - just enjoy.
Yours sincerely,
GG
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