Being A Nana Is Grand

Being A Nana Is Grand
by
Terry Burres

To be a Nana, Grandmother, Grandma, or whatever your grandchild wants to call you is just this side of heaven. You look at that child as if she is a new page on which you can help to write bright new stories. Stories about rainbows after a Spring shower or cotton candy at the Summer fair.

When you are told that your angel has a problem that you can not, in your infinite wisdom and magical Grandmother mode, wish or pray away you can chose to do one of two things. You can take your darling and crawl into a hole covering it up behind you. Or you can get off your duff and help that child to be the best person that she can be. Which, if you are counting, is what a Nana does anyway.

Our angel was diagnosed with Autism when she was almost three. My daughter, Faith’s Mommy, sprung right into action. She made calls and found support groups. She gathered a wealth of information. After reading until our eyes crossed, we found out there were lots of writing we could do to fill in that blank page that belonged to our little angel.

The most important thing that we came to understand was that regardless of any other reality she is, now and will always be,”Our Faith Ann”. We just had to rethink the way that we would introduce the world to her. We do more listening, and taking our cues from her.

So far we have decorated our blank page with snap shots of Challenger’s softball. Everyone gets two home runs Every Game -- Mark Mcguire eat your heart out! The smiles that those kids gave us as we cheered everyone as they ran the bases (some kids were pushed in their chairs) could have but the Sun to shame. Besides who would have guessed that angels like to eat grass from the outfield.

I will always remember the second time Faith was “at bat” and she did not want to walk the bases much less run them. The Gentleman who was the pitcher decided to help by carrying her around the bases. Unfortunately for them, but to add to our enjoyment, as they jogged around the bases Faith’s shorts only made it to second base. They were at home plate when one of the outfielders brought Faith her shorts. Everyone in the stands were rolling.

On Saturdays when my angel becomes a mermaid her Nana is there for every wet second. I guess you could say we use water colors on the blank page on Saturdays. With both her Mom and her Nana there Faith swims all over the pool at the YMCA. It has even improved her speech because when we pull into the parking lot she yells,”Yea!! (p)ool!!”

By giving Faith as much support as we can we hope to encourage her growth. We can already see steps she has taken. Small steps, perhaps, but steps non-the-less. Whatever her goals for herself in the future maybe, my goals for her is that she continues to be a happy individual.

I have looked forward to having grandchildren for a long time. All of my grandchildren are special in their own way. They are loved for who they are. My Angel with Autism is unique not only by how she sees things, but also in the joy she brings to her family and friends.

I can’t wait to find out what will be written on the next line of the page that is my angel. I just want to be there for the fun along the way. I know that it will be quite a ride.