Stuck In The Middle

We went out to celebrate my Mother-in-law’s birthday the other day. After we finished eating my wife went home and I took my son and my Mother-in-law out. It was an interesting situation and perhaps is quite symbolic of what happens today when we need to parent our parents as well as parent our children.

We decided to go to the library. Of course today’s library is a far cry from what we had when I was growing up, not that I had anything against the library when I was a child, I enjoyed going. Still, today, there are computers with internet connectivity set aside for kids, other computers with kid’s games on them and areas for children to play, play dress-up, play with blocks, play with all sorts of toys.

My son wanted to get on one of the computers. My Mother-in-law wanted to look at the books in the large print section. My son, while usually good can get temperamental. My Mother-in-law while unsteady on her feet, refuses to use a walker and certainly not a wheelchair.

I found myself going back and forth from one area to the other, trying to look inconspicuous, trying to make it so neither one of the two people would see me. Certainly my Mother-in-law would have protested wanting to know if I did not trust her.

Certainly grandkids are great medicine for grandparents. Certainly grandparents are great for grandkids (and my Mother-in-law is my son’s one remaining living grandparent). I was certainly happy to take them both out but it is not as easy as it once was.

Well, I guess it is tough getting old, as well as growing up!