I had a play date.
By
Gerry Niskern
Last Sunday, My great-grandkids and their friends came over to play board games. They know how much I Iove to play those competitive games. These kids are in their twenties. One is in physical therapy school, one is working with his dad in the family business, one is preparing to start Medical school in August and working as a EMT to save money, and one is a server, and “looking.” So they’re busy. Just like other members of my family and everyone’s family these days. But they take the time.
For some reason, it reminded me of Children’s Day. It used to be celebrated in June. I remember Children’s Day being a big deal when I was a kid. Special programs were held in school, church and the community. A minister in Massachusetts started celebrating Children’s Day in 1856. It was never officially declared in the United States until President Clinton designated a Children’s Day to be on October 8. I think everyone would agree that every day seems to be children’s day in today’s society.
Instead, I think we should celebrate an “Adult Kid’s” day. A day to thank and honor all the grown-up kids who help their elderly parents in innumerable ways every day. Those are the kids who call often to check in. They offer rides to the doctor appointments, pick up groceries, help with house hold problems, and best of all, they take the times to have real “sit down “ conversations.
The biggest complaint of my Senior friends is that, although they are grateful for the help they receive from their adult kids, they “never want to take the time to have a conversation. They are in and out as quickly as possible!” I can understand their frustration. I’m grateful that I have two sons that each sit down every week and have real discussions with their Mom about “everything under the Sun”. We haven’t solved all the world’s problems yet, but we’re doing better than those guys in Washington. And a grandson who checks in by phone almost every morning.
When adult children make the effort to show a genuine interest in an elderly parent and listen to their opinions it “nurtures the soul and gladdens the heart”. Sometime it is not easy to make the time but often they learn that a parent has a unique story. And they take the time to hear it, sometimes “more than once”.
So, I move that we celebrate a national Adult Children’s Day. They deserve it!