I am a lucky lady.  Nine grand kids grace my dinner table at Thanksgiving and Christmas in there given year.  Relatives, what can you do?     

       This summer (2015) I kept four of my grand kids to give mom and dad a little break. Isaiah, 5 is the baby of the family and you can see that in everything he does: whining, sucking his thumb, wanting his way about everything, butting in on conversations, wanting to be the center of attention, telling Grandma and Grandpa just exactly what he wants to eat.  Which consist of french fries, chicken strips, hot dogs, Trix, ice cream and gummy bears. He literally will not eat if he is not served the afore mentioned goodies. Elijah, 6 is the quiet silent type.  Actually he talks so little that everyone began to wonder if he had a speech problem. He was put through test after test at school and all they discovered is that he knows everything, can answer with the appropriate words, when he wants too.  So, the school declared that he has a personality quirk?  Actually, he is just like all my sons who are "smart as whips" but don't like to talk or be around people. And guess where that comes from, Grandpa!

        Then there are the girls, Eden, 9 is the athlete according to her discription of herself. She loves being outside, except when it is hot. She loves to swim, run, dance, sing, play board games and eat bacon.  For years she would only eat bacon as her protein.  Then there is the teenager, Isis, 13, who is going through that awkward age.  To wear make-up or not to wear make-up. To go out with boys or make it girls night out. Don't you dare say,"oh it is because you are a teenager", nothing turns her off faster. Her exercise is two fingers punching keys on her computer 18 hours of the day.

         How in the world did four kids, growing up in the same house get so different?

         I learned fast that they all loved swimming, as long as some of their friends were at the pool. They didn't even mind swimming in the pond on our ranch.  They insisted that they didn't need any sun block.  After the first sunburn they were easier to convince that sun block was a good thing.

         Most of the time I drive a little Accent.  There was always a fight over shotgun between the girls. The boys just screamed from the minute we got in the car until we got where we were going. 

         While visiting us, we spent countless hours trying to get Isaiah to stop sucking his thumb, Elijah to talk, Eden to eat something besides bacon, which she asked for every meal and Isis to turn off the computer and come into the real world. Did we succeed?  I doubt it but we gave it a shot. 

          The kids have gone home now as the approach of school is near.  What did I learn from my experience?  Seeing grand kids once a week is the perfect balance and seeing them at their home is preferred.