A Year in Review

It's been about a year since my older daughter and grandson moved back home with me.  It's been a bit of an adjustment.  My wife and I had just gotten used to having some evenings to ourselves.  We had a guest bedroom and a storage room.  Not anymore.  We had to adjust to becoming built-in babysitters while my daughter was at school and working.  We had to get used to the baby waking up in the middle of the night.

Since then, my daughter has completed school and has landed her first job, and the baby is growing by leaps and bounds.  He's walking and talking, and he has a wonderful relationship with his grandparents... a relationship that wouldn't be nearly as strong if they hadn't moved back in.  Furthermore, due to the fact that my wife and I were able to provide for my daughter and grandson, they didn't have to go on welfare.

Recently, I had a revelation.  Over the last hundred years or so, the family has changed a lot, most of these changes, in my opinion, are for the worse.  The extended family is nowhere near as strong as it used to be.  This, I think, is primarily because the extended family isn't as available as it used to be.  Yes, we've had to give up some things with my daughter and grandson moving back in.  But overall, I think it's a good thing.  I may have lost a guest room.  We might have lost a storage room.  We certainly have had to spend a lot of money keeping additional food on the table and clothing on their backs.  But I'd absolutely make the same choice again.  Life isn't about things.  It's not about a big house, or a fat bank account.  It's about relationships.  And what's resulted from the return home is that my relationship with my daughter and grandson are far stronger than what would have been if they'd have tried to tough it out on their own.  I hope that, in addition to strengthening the bond with my daughter, and forging the relationship with my grandson, that I've instilled these values into both of them.