One of the areas that my wife and I have found to bridge is the Generation Gap. Oh my friend, yes this will cause a big problem. When we had children before, honestly, we were a little closer in age. It wasn't really that long b.k., (before kids) that I was their age and went through what they were going through. Society hadn't really changed that much. But today, wow, a big difference. Society has moved on a great deal, so much has happened in life that the gap between us is a large almost chasm. The influences that are rampant today are so much stronger than when I was younger and had my children. I watch my other grandson, Douglas who is in fourth grade and what he tells me when he comes home from public school, and quite honestly I am floored at what some of the things that kids do and say out in public. 

     As you and I found out when we had our children, raising children is not easy, and to raise your own grandchildren is, honestly a little harder. One of the things that I have found that is the hardest for me to take is in the area of the kids minding me. When I had my children I was dad and in love it was done the way I felt it should be done. Now, as grandpa, or as my other grandkids call me Obie, I am supposed to be the lenient one. I am supposed to be the one who, as Bill Cosby puts it, "Pay no attention to those old people. They are just doing this to work their way into heaven. They are not really this nice." That's supposed to be me. The Obie who gives the kids candy when they are not supposed to have any. The grandparent who, when the child gets in trouble and put in the corner and I'm babysitting, let them get out while mom and dad are gone. But, alas, no. My wife and I ARE the mom and dad and it takes some getting used to. Being the one that gives out the punishment, the discipline. Our minds and actually our bodies are not tuned to that frequency. Today we get out of bed and reach for the aspirin or Tylenol to get us going. Used to be, jump out of bed and off to work. A little different isn't it?