I’ve Got The Hippy Shakes
How do you bond with a new grandchild during a pandemic?
![How do you bond with a new grandchild during a pandemic?](http://www.chicagonow.com/hippy-shakes/files/2020/12/fingers.jpg)
The word on the street is that I have a new grandchild. Yep, it’s true. He just turned three months old on Sunday and he’s a very, VERY cute little boy. No prejudice on my part…he really is a cutie.
I met him for the first time when he only four days old. He was so little that I was scared to touch him, much less hold him. I’m pretty sure dropping a four-day-old baby wouldn’t have gone over well with his mother.
Since then, I’ve seen him a handful of times. I even held his body down and rubbed his legs during his bris. You’d think that comforting someone while they were getting their penis snipped would be a big-time bonding moment, but he most likely had other things going through his brain at the time.
Lately, the visitation opportunities have slowed down. You may have heard that we are in the midst of a pandemic. Yeah, we were in that same pandemic back in September and October, but the number of cases, hospitalizations and deaths have escalated in recent weeks. The latest numbers are scary. Plenty of people are taking them extra seriously. They are taking extra precautions to keep safe. Among those people are my grandchild’s parents.
I’m okay with that. All they are doing is trying to stay safe and healthy while going through the learning process of raising their first child. Hell, being a first time parent isn’t easy under any circumstances. You’re learning how to do it on the fly. All the books that give you the so-called perfect advice, aren’t really all that perfect. Then, try to imagine doing it during a pandemic that has killed 300,000 Americans. Only folks who have had children born since March can tell you about how that works. Hmmm…maybe my daughter and son-in-law will be the ones to write that so-called perfect book for the next generation of pandemic new parents.
But all that said, how is a grandparent suppose to bond with their grandchild when you have limited contact? My guess is that Zoom isn’t an option. I’m pretty sure a three month old boy isn’t proficient in that technology. Psssttt…don’t tell anyone, but his grandfather isn’t all that great at it either. I did find a trick to get to see him…..HANUKKAH PRESENTS!!!
I know….pretty sneaky, right? These are desperate times and they call for desperate measures.
So Sunday, we brought over a bunch of gifts for the kid’s first Hanukkah. Nothing too special. Books and clothes. Just a few bribes to get in the door. Hey, I’ve learned a few tricks in my more than six decades on Earth. And actually, I wasn’t totally sure we were going to get inside until it actually happened. I thought there was a chance that once the presents were handed over, we’d get a look at the baby and then adios until the vaccine is distributed to us common folk. That’s the way it is with lots of people in America in 2020, why not for us.
Well luckily, we made it inside. Phew!
My daughter put her son in one of those bouncy chairs that can hold him up. I don’t remember those things being around three decades ago when my children were children, but then again I don’t remember what I had for lunch. Anyway, it was bonding time for Grandpop and grandson. The kid is a lot more aware than he was on day four and he kept giving me looks like who is this masked man? Well dude, I’m not the Lone Ranger, I’m your grandfather…yanno…the father of your meal source. I’m pretty sure he hasn’t figured all that out yet, so maybe we just go for something simple to start. Let’s hold hands.
As you can see in the above photo, my grandson is holding on to my finger…hard! That kid has a strong grip! And if you’ve never had the experience of a child/grandchild grabbing on to your finger and not letting go, it’s wonderful and heartwarming.
Bonding moment #? went great. I can’t wait for the next time. I’m not going to push it. I realize I’m lucky to get these visits whenever possible because of the pandemic. Like so many of us, I’m hopeful that the vaccine gets to us sooner than later so we can get back to things that are important and special to us.
So to my grandson, Happy Hanukkah and enjoy the books. Hopefully, you won’t be reading them to me the next time I see you.
Related Post: What’s the best name for a new grandfather?
-
Advertisement:
-
Advertisement:
-
Welcome to ChicagoNow.
-
Meet The Blogger
Howard Moore
My so called friends think it’s time to edit this section. After four years, they may be right, but don’t tell them that. I’ll deny it until they die!
I can’t believe I’ve been writing this blog for four years.
It started as a health/wellness thing and over the years has morphed to include so many things that I don’t know how to describe it anymore.
I really thought this was going to be the final year of the blog but then Donald Trump came along. It looks like we’re good for four more years..God help us all!
Oh yeah…the biographical stuff. I’m not 60 anymore. The rest you can read about in the blog. -
Subscribe by Email
Completely spam free, opt out any time.
Tags
- Donald Trump (187)
- Parkinson”s Disease (50)
- Coronavirus (34)
- Chicago Cubs (31)
- John Lennon (23)
- Paul McCartney (22)
- Cancer (22)
- Melanoma (21)
- Bob Dylan (19)
- Pandemic (19)
Categories
- Music (311)
- Wellness (298)
- News (242)
- Health (230)
- Satire (178)
- humor (163)
- Uncategorized (153)
- Parkinsons (152)
- Pop Music (118)
- Sports (97)
Latest on ChicagoNow
-
How do you bond with a new grandchild during a pandemic?
from I’ve Got The Hippy Shakes by Howard Moore
posted today at 6:06 am -
Remembering Bill Barr
from The Barbershop: Dennis Byrne, Proprietor by Dennis Byrne
posted Monday at 8:56 pm -
Movie Review: Mank
from Hammervision by John Hammerle
posted Monday at 6:29 pm -
The COVID-19 vaccine is Donald Trump’s moonshot
from The Barbershop: Dennis Byrne, Proprietor by Dennis Byrne
posted Monday at 3:53 pm -
Cooking during the pandemic: healthier, easy-breezy, luscious French Toast Casserole with Apples and Raisins
from Opinionated Woman by Judy Marcus
posted Monday at 12:49 pm
Posts from related blogs
-
Spiritual and Physical Wellness
Most recent post: Make Your Kitchen Part of Your Healthy Routine
-
Say What?
Most recent post: Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes – Take Care of Yourself
-
Cancer Is Not A Gift
Most recent post: Teaching and Love
More from Lifestyle: Wellness
Read these ChicagoNow blogs
-
Cubs Den
-
Pets in need of homes
Pets available for adoption in the Chicago area -
The Barbershop: Dennis Byrne, Proprietor
Chicago writer, editor and author blogs about today’s political and public policy issues.
Read these ChicagoNow Bloggers
-
Candace Jordan
from Candid Candace: -
Chris O’Brien
from Medium Rare: -
Bonnie McGrath
- About ChicagoNow
- •
- FAQs
- •
- Advertise
- •
- Recent posts RSS
- •
- Privacy policy (Updated)
- •
- Comment policy
- •
- Terms of service
- •
- Chicago Tribune Archives
- •
- Chicago Internet Marketing Services
- •
- Do not sell my personal info
©2020 CTMG – A Chicago Tribune website –
Crafted by the News Apps team