Grandma Rules

The “King” women in my life are hilarious.  Little Ms. Kaia has finally recognized what it means when I say no, ironically, my mother has not.  There is an old Jamaican proverb that says, “Once a parent, twice a child”.  This basically means that a child will grow into an adult and take care of their parents like children.  It is a take from the Great Sphinx riddle in Oedipus Rex, “What has 4 legs in the morning, 2 at noon, and 3 at night?”.  My mother is slowly beginning to grow her third leg, but she is not going out without a fight.

Today’s revelation came to me via bottle feeding time.  Last night I was in a pre dawn wrestling match with Kaia as I stayed over at my moms.  I finally relented and got up to make a bottle.  As I struggled around her kitchen, I was only able to locate a couple of bottle sets.  Unfortunately my mother had taken the time to do some plastic surgery on the nipples of these bottles so that they had large holes at the top.  Despite numerous requests for her not to do this, my mother continues to make these holes so that the feeling process goes faster.  To make matters worse, she mixes any and every type of cereal, oatmeal, or whatever thick substance she can squeeze through these newly remodeled bottles…

As a parent you think you would have control over your own child.  The choices that are made should be held after your direction.  This changes when you have a grandparent step into the fray.  Very few bible commands come with a promise.  The one that does is this:

     
"Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the LORD” -  Exodus 20:12(NLT)

I’m caught in the ultimate catch 22 here.  Cant disobey my mom even if she is disobeying me…  Nevertheless, it is clear to see that no harm has come to Kaia via Grandma’s care and I am truly grateful that Kaia gets to spend these first few years with her grandma.  I am sure in a small way this is payback for all the times I gave my mom grief…  It just is going to give me that much more pleasure one day being a grandpa!!