Jenny,

I hope you are feeling better now that some of the turmoil has passed. I know what you mean about everyone NOT understanding how we feel RAISING the Grandchildren. It is so hard to draw the line of parenting verse Grandparenting.

Sometimes I get very emotional because I have lost the PLEASURE of being the Grandma. Especially, when the discipline comes in! We lost the pleasure of being the good one all the time and being there refuge when times are tough for them, Doesn’t mean we still don’t WANT to be. There are times whenI make Mitzi mind that I actually get angry that I was put in this position and I get soooooo sick of FAMILY saying I chose to do this.  Did we chose it or did it chose us? Not that I would trade places with anyone regarding my relationship with MY BABY MITZI! I just want peole to understand that it IS a different role than normal parenting. WE have all the same responsibility  and ALL of the GUILT of knowing what has happened to these little beings. I get angry at my son for not being more involved in her life and STILL using the word DADDY. My husband is daddy....he is the one wiping her nose , taking her to school. Kissing her boo boo’s and going to the Drs. office and sitting in the ER when she is sick. BUT we let him do it (come in with a dollar store toy and play Disney daddy for one hour a week) WHY? Because he is my son and I am torn in an emotional limbo that most people can’t fathom. We have to keep the family in tact and also raise these children in the pressure cooker of life and set our emotions aside 80 percent of the time. It is a hard place to be. HA! HA! They have not had a Jerry Springer show that could EVEN BEGIN explaining our circle of life. Just know that someone else KNOWS what you are feeling and  HAS been where you are and sympathizes with you. They keep saying it gets easier........God lets hope so !

Sincerely Cherry Lane

Danny, Thanks for the reinforcement that a GOOD swat on the behind DOES work. It is true that it hurts us more than it does them.........andthe pain lasts longer! LOL