My grandparents got home from Australia this week. They have been serving an LDS mission in Brisbane, Australia over the last two years and we were lucky enough to get the opportunity to pick them up from the airport on Monday. Logan was only two when they left. He frequently talked with them on Skype, but that was his only real memory of them up to this point. He warmed up quickly during the ride home, but what impressed me so much was the fact that the moment they walked off the plane my grandmother was already taking advantage of those little teaching moments with my son, just as she did with me.
She told him all about Australia and taught him about the rainforest there. She told him all kinds of fun facts about the different animals and told him stories about all of the things they were able to see while they were there. As I watched her interacting with my son I was reminded of my own childhood. She taught me a love of nature and of art, of history and genealogy, and so much more. She took advantage of each moment and used it to teach us about the world. She has passed that on to her children and they have passed it on to theirs.
I love watching Logan with his grandparents. They never miss a moment to teach him something new. They take the time to show him that he is important and that they love him. I am so thankful that Logan has so many wonderful grandparents in his life that get to love him and spoil him. Be sure to nurture these relationships with your children. Grandparents are a special thing, and they won’t be around forever. Kids can never have too many people to love them!