My husband and our youngest daughter, Stephany, were recently dining at O’Charley’s here in Owensboro. I’d dance across broken glass for their rolls. Fortunately our server didn’t hold me to it.
After we had been there about 5 minutes, a family was seated beside us: A grandfather, a grandmother, and their pride and joys – two grandsons. One grandson was about 4 and the other was around 9. The 4 year old was having a great time showering his grandmother with smiles and love. The older boy was kind of surly. You got the impression that he had been pulled away from something electronic to go to supper with his grandparents.
He sat by the wall, beside his grandfather, but apparently decided that he just HAD to get out and sit at the end of the table. So he made a big production out of squeezing between his grandfather’s chair and the wall – sniping at a man who was showing remarkable patience. Then, when the child got to the end of the table, he put on a mini-drama of looking at his obnoxious belt buckle as though it had been scratched up in the process.
By this time, I had a feeling something was about to come out of the grandfather’s mouth. He didn’t disappoint.
The grandfather looked at the little drama brat and said, “Suck it up.”
My daughter and I practically high-fived. The child, not sure what had hit him, sat down and FINALLY wrapped up his performance.
Several things hit me (between rolls):
- What’s with parents these days?! I would say, “What’s with kids these days?” – but kids are kids and are, in a big sense of the word, like clay. As parents, we form them into what they are and will be. If you are a parent and you are reading these words – PLEASE (for your child’s sake as well as everyone else’s) teach them manners. Teach them to respect other people, especially their grandparents. No parent should want to raise a child that’ll look as ugly and bratty as that child did that night. Our daughters would have never, ever treated their grandparents with anything but graciousness, love, and respect.
- The grandfather’s advice is pure gold. Not only was his phrase dead-on for that mini brat, it was dead on for bigger brats as well. Adults can be just as bratty as any child could ever hope to be. There aren’t a lot of differences between a rude little boy showing his backside in a restaurant or a rude big boy showing his backside at work. Or a mother screaming at her kids in the middle of a store (really, ladies, get a grip).
I love grandfathers. They have a certain, no-nonsense way about them. They serve up, usually with just a handful of words, the sort of lessons that the rest of us spend thousands of words on. They don’t flap around, yell, or have overly-dramatic moments. They don’t tear up or say things like, “…after all I’ve done for you…” No, not these guys. After all, they were weaned on John Wayne and Clint Eastwood. There’s not an ounce of drama queen in them.
They simply size up the situation and say what needs to be said.
The next time any of us are tempted to whine about anything (weather, bills, hurt feelings, dust bunnies, gas prices, etc.) we should let the grandfather’s words ring through our head. Oh, yeah. We should most definitely Suck it up.
What’s the best advice your grandfather ever gave you? Or, if you’re a grandfather – what’s the best advice you every gave? Let us know in the comments!
Michael Dan ( MySweetLuck ) says
Joi, I really want to share this great advice that my grandpa used to give, now he is not with me it’s so sad missing him a lot all right now let us get back to the advice…
“Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions”
The most beautiful advice I ever learned in my life…thanks Grandpa….
.-= Michael Dan ( MySweetLuck )´s last blog ..If You Never Do These 3 Things, Then You Can Never Be Happy =-.
jamie says
My grandfather has 2 sayings that I have heard all of my life
1) a liar is worse than a thief
2) only a fool is perfect.
lessons that i repeat to my kids on a regular basis. Like you say..short , to the point and wondefully powerfu;.
Jackie says
Whenever you ask my grandpa how he’s doing he always says:
“Can’t complain, well I could, but it doesn’t do me any good”
That’s stuck with me forever. It really doesn’t do any good to complain.
.-= Jackie´s last blog ..What is a Life in Balance? =-.
Beth Banning says
Grandfathers (and grandparents in general) are great source of pieces of advice. I love hearing from my grandfather tell me when I was younger: always tell your parents you love them because life is too short not to express your love for your parents and friends.
Stephany says
Loved reading everyones advice from their Grandfathers. How beautiful!
.-= Stephany´s last blog ..Forever 21 – Upper West Side T-Shirt =-.
joi says
Stephany,
I’ve really enjoyed them, too. Grandfathers are the best!
Jan Heinen@ lift chair reviews says
I don’t know if it is the fact that older folk think that they aren’t going to be around for a long time, but they do find the time that they spend with their grandchildren quite a huge deal. They also want to impart some of the knowledge that they have learned to their grandchildren. Spoiling a grandchild is OK for the grandparent because they don’t usually see their grandchildren as often as they like. I think it is a special relationship and should be cherished. However, you will have grandparents who will discipline their grandchildren like this one did.
Richard H Day says
My new best advice – “Read Joi’s post of August 2, 2009!” and be governed accordingly.