It was well over ten years ago that I suddenly realized that although I saw our grandchildren frequently, very little of that time was spent one on one with them. So I made a plan then and there to devote some time each week to one grandchild, just them and me together. This became time with Nana. When it is coming up for their turn some of the fun is they can choose what to do or where to go. My daughter has frequently told me that they love dreaming up what they are going to do with Nana when they realize their turn is about to arrive. This is especially so with my younger grandchildren. The teenagers mainly choose to go to the Movies with me however occasionally they also want to do something different.

We sometimes would go to ten pin bowling (that was before I acquired a few additional aches and pains) where even the younger ones would beat Nana. I could never work out why but I just couldn’t win the two or more games out of three that was needed to be the winner. Anyway they were very pleased with themselves that they were better than me. Now the choice tends to be going somewhere for frozen yogurt, visiting McDonalds for play and food, getting nails done and painted, playing games at home, and many times, even with the younger ones, the Movies.

Over the years of having this individual time with each of my grandchildren I have realized just how precious this time is for both them and for me. It has provided the space for me to get to know them just by themselves, something that may not have happened if this time had not been set aside each Friday afternoon. And of course they love the time also.