Barbies Time

“Is Grandpa Mike gonna play Barbies with me?”

Take a look at this picture, and tell me the answer. That’s 3 year old Mary, another of our great-grandchildren. She asked this when she found out I was going to come to her house on Thursday mornings.

What’s the occasion?

Home schooling, that’s what.

Mary is the youngest of 4 great-grandchildren, in the house of Molly, our Granddaughter.

Molly “home schools” her 3 older children, and since I’m retired and need some activities, Molly asked me if I would like to help her in this project on Thursday mornings. “Sure - what do I do?”

She has a 9 year old - Elijah; a 7 year old - Priscilla; a 6 year old - Benjamin; and 3 year old Mary.

What I DO is: Read to Elijah; have him read to me; Read to Priscilla; have her read to me; and drink tea. Oh………and play “Barbies”.

Elijah and I just finished reading about the Aztecs, the Incas and the Mayans in Central America. Blood thirsty people, some of them.

Priscilla is “reading” Laura Ingalls Wilder’s book “On The Banks of Plum Creek”.

Elijah has another book now, about a boy and his family in the Indian Territory of the northwest, (I don’t remember the title) who has to live alone for some time while his father “goes back home” for the rest of the family. He discovers an Indian “friend”, who takes him to the Indian Village. The two of them also confront a bear, which the Indian Boy kills.

Also while I’m there, both Priscilla and Elijah have another book to look at and read, for their education. We just look at these together. Sometimes, Elijah practices reading a chapter of the Bible.

Now, “Barbies Time” includes getting down on the floor with Mary, and putting together the Barbie dolls and their clothes. Of course, while there, I’m Ken. I pick up Ken right away, but one time I also picked up one of the girl dolls, and Mary said, “No, Grandpa. You’re Ken.” Right.

She dresses and undresses the dolls, while talking to them in words I don’t always understand. But, my job is NOT to understand, but to spend “quality time” with her. (An euphemism, right?) This goes on and on, as long as I have time for. Can’t miss lunch, you know.

During all this time, Benjamin is around, doing what 6 year old boys do, but nothing that I have to help him with. Molly has other assignments for him.

Have you recently watched small children play? No more “Lincoln Logs”, or “Lionel Electric Trains”. Or even “marbles”. (My mother never let me play “for keeps”. Gambling.) They have rockets, space men, robots, space ships, etc. Priscilla IS interested in art. She paints a lot on an easel she got for her birthday. Elijah has Video Games.

They DO entertain themselves quite well, without adult help.

In all, we have 6 Great-Grandchildren in this town; 3 in Florida; one in Chicago; one in Korea; and several step-Grand and Great-Grandchildren. I’ve mentioned 2 of the Florida ones, along with 4 here. I’ll discuss the others later.

I don’t need to remind anyone of the importance of children, grand children, etc. and our responsibility to “bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord”. Ephesians 6:4. But, don’t “provoke them to wrath” (same verse).

Children and grandchildren are a blessing to any family. Thank the Lord for the love they garner, and offer. THEY are our future!

Praise the Lord!