Growing up, one of my favorite days at school was Grandparents Day. I loved having my grandma come in to enjoy lunch and assembly with us kids to celebrate this special day for them. The pictures of my grandma with us sit on my parents’ living room shelf still.
My grandma played a very important role in the lives of my siblings and I. She lived with my parents after they got married and she was there for me every single day of my life through most of high school. She helped raise us while my parents worked during the day and taught me things about my Vietnamese heritage that I appreciate so much as an adult.
We lost my grandma when I was a senior in high school. She had been sick for a while but she had always told me that she wanted to get better to see me be the first in my family to graduate high school. She had this beautiful purple Ao Dai (Vietnamese traditional long dress) made for the day and it was something she always talked to me about when she had the chance.
Unfortunately, we lost her the January before graduation. During her funeral, I carried that Ao Dai down the aisle as part of the offering during mass. It was a difficult time for me and I still think about her today and wonder what she would say or do seeing me with my three boys.
One of the things I hold close to my heart is something my grandma taught me growing up- family is everything. She was so happy to be in our lives every day.
I knew that my kids would have a close relationship with their grandparents. There was no question when I got pregnant with my first son. My dad was going to help us watch him for part of the week and my father in law was going to watch him the last part of the week. We never had to consider daycare and to this day, I can’t thank our families enough.
My sons have a special bond with their grandparents on both sides. We see them often and there is no hesitation that if they are available, they will love to watch our kids. There are many sleepovers and it’s hard for Mommy and Papa to get them to leave. Their grandparents are teaching them the Laotian and Vietnamese cultures, they understand words from the language. These are traditions that I grew up with that I don’t want to lose with them either.
{Photo Credit: Whims and Joy}
My kids’ grandparents have played such an important role in raising the boys. I just continue to see this tradition going on from us to their kids and generation after generation. I wouldn’t want it any other way.
I know we are some of the lucky ones to have both sets of parents live within thirty minutes away from us. We cherish these times and can’t thank them enough for all they have done for their grandkids and us. I want our kids to grow up with them in their lives and continue that special bond that only kids and their grandparents can have with each other.
We love you all and have a Happy Grandparents Day!!!
