Still Learning

You'd think that when you reach 72 years of age you wouldn't learn much anymore. I still read books and keep up with the news, but new everyday wisdom is usually lacking because I have less interface with other folks. Not that Cheryl doesn't try to improve my common sense, but I am sometimes resistant to her direction. And then something like an invasion of the "little people" happens and you go into information overload.
Angela and John's boy's have been in our care for the past couple of days and I have learned more than I have in years. Not about their parents but how four year olds and one year olds manage adults. Bennett at four and Weston at just over a year old have taught me some amazing things.

- An infectious smile with twinkling blue eyes will eventually wear down any resistance to undesirable behavior.

- Repeatedly asking "why" is a good defense when you don't have one.

- Wearing that smile and running up to grab your legs in a big hug will make one forget "why" you were coming to correct them in the first place.

- Crawling up in your lap and snuggling into your arms will buy you at least twenty more minutes before you have to go to bed.

- Pretending that you don't hear (aka ignoring) a grandparent usually leads to undesirable results.

- Wieners and chicken strips are actually pretty tasty.

- Cheese Puffs, Nutrigrain bars and goldfish will hold the fort down till Nana gets home.

- It is possible to watch kids TV programming all day long .

- It is difficult, but not impossible to take a selfie with both your grandkids in your lap.

- Movies can be enjoyable the second or third time you watch them in the same day.

- It is possible to find all the plastic sports team figures that have been scattered among 3 different rooms in your home. (In this case a soccer, baseball, football and hockey team set)

- You can tear the pages out of your reading book , but the electronic buttons still function and make all the desired sounds that pacify a one year old.

- Tablets (I Pads) are a gift from God.

- Little children make a lot of noise on your ears, but they bring an enormous peace to your soul.

- Paw Patrol is an awesome show that features a little boy named Ryder and his pups named Marshall, Chase, Rubble, Everest, Zuma, Sky, Rocky and of course Robo-dog and Mandy the monkey. The reason I know this is because I have watched 26 episodes in the past four days.

- Four year olds sleep longer than one year olds.

- You can put diapers on backwards, but you will regret it.

- Minions and one year olds love bananas.

- Four year olds and granddads love minions

- Without a doubt, little children are God's most precious gift of all.