Chuck Stecker

We have all heard them and I have said most of them at one time or another.

“Grandkids are God’s gift for not killing your kids.”

“We never wanted kids – just grandkids. But we had to have kids to get our grandkids.”

The lists of jokes go on and I can make them all sound funny.

Here is a truth that is felt by most grandparents I know: If we have terrific grandkids, it is generally because we have really terrific kids.

Many of us Grandparents do not want to face the fact that often our kids are better parents than us because they made some decisions about raising their own children based on how they felt we raised them.

Make no mistake about it – I have some of the best grandkids in the entire world and even the universe or galaxy. As I look at them, I often see so many ways our children have learned from my mistakes.

In many respects, it seems our kids have taken any good characteristics and made them better. As far as the not so good parenting techniques they saw in me, we are all trying to forget those and not replicate them.

As much as I joke about how my kids are almost perfect and our grandchildren are perfect, the truth is none of them are perfect; but they are all doing better than I did at their ages.

The fun part is none of us are perfect and together we work to make our family stronger and everyone better.

In the past and still now at times, I have worked very hard to help my kids and my grandkids get better by measuring up to my standards and do things the right way – my way. Somehow, they all survived and amazingly we are still speaking to one another and actually like being with each other.

I still want to be the best parent I am capable of being for my kids. Now, however, I also want to be the best “Papa” to their kids and strengthen and support them as parents.

I love being a parent – but I really love being a grandparent.