By Marc S. Axelrod

How “beautiful” are your grandchildren really?

We all think that ours are somehow more beautiful, smart, cute, or more amazing than all those other ordinary little kids. 

But don’t some of our grandchildren have to be a little goofy looking, maybe not so bright, dorky, or just plain plain? 

You would think so.  We all know adults who fit those descriptions.  And other adjectives we won’t mention here. 

Didn’t those adults start out as kids? 

Oh, right, they must have been those other inferior kids some grandparents noticed playing with their beautiful grandkids back then. 

Let’s take a closer look at what’s going on here. 

All kids do stuff. 

You know, learn to eat and to walk and talk and count and other amazing things (amazing when it’s our grandkid doing it). 

Pretty much the same stuff we did as kids, with some slight changes.  Like we didn’t casually cruise around an iPad running kids’ content as a two or three-year-old like they all do. 

What?  Yours doesn’t do that?  Mine can. 

Sorry, got off track. 

If they all do pretty much the same stuff, and all look beautiful to us (because they all really are, aren’t they?), then where is the disconnect that makes us think ours are “the best”?

It’s not really a disconnect, it’s the opposite. 

It’s the incredible and immediate natural bond that ties us to our own. 

You didn’t watch my grandkids grow.  I did.  And for me nothing compares. 

You watched yours do the same things.  And you look at yours like I look at mine. 

Since I didn’t watch yours grow and don’t share DNA with them, they’re just other kids. I may like them, but they don’t make me kvell.  (If you don’t know that Yiddish word, look it up)

We all experienced that amazing transformation as ours went from little bundles of nerve endings into those sweet things happily climbing on the park jungle gym, and all the way through school and beyond (if you’re that lucky… and old).

That’s what is amazing.  Being there and a part of it.    

So let’s make a deal. 

The next time we are sitting around talking about our families, don’t be that grandparent that goes on and on and on and on about the greatness of their brood. 

I do want to know how they are and how proud you feel about them.  But the best part is seeing your smile when you talk about them. 

It’s good for all of us grandparents to share our good fortune. We deserve the recognition. 

We just don’t need to shout about how beautiful and wonderful our grandkids are. 

Mine are just like yours are to you, the best in the world.

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