For as long as I can remember, my grandparents have taken care of me. They adopted me when I was 6 years old and ever since then they have tried to juggle being both parents and grandparents. Of course, there's been some spoiling, but there's been discipline, as well. I cannot imagine deciding to start over in your fifties and raise another child. But my grandparents were willing and able, and I have been so grateful.
Being raised by your grandparents provides a set of very interesting circumstances. For instance, classmates and friends were always asking for clarification: "Is that your mom?" "Do you call them mom and dad or grandma and grandpa?" But it didn't annoy me. I was used to the questions and it was a great talking point. When teachers would ask the class to say one interesting fact about themselves, that was my go-to.
The best and worst part is the issue of technology. My grandparents were able to keep up with advancing technology pretty well until recently. Now it falls to me to fix things for them. Now, I am not the most patient person in the world - patience does not run in the family - so this can present a problem. I try my best to teach, but more often than not I just do things for them. My favorite is when I'm away from home and they call me because something at home stopped working - like the sound bar for our TV. I love a challenge, and nothing is more challenging than giving directions over the phone on how to fix something.
One of the things I've been most thankful for is their openness and ability to let me decide things for myself. All in all, my grandparents are pretty modern thinking. They do not shy away from mature topics and allow me to have a say in these types of discussions. Although I'm sure they would like me to be more agreeable to their viewpoints (who doesn't want everyone to see their way?), they don't mind it when I have opposing opinions. They encourage my individualism and let me form my own ideas.
Everyone has a different family dynamic, but I have been privileged to experience something that I think is truly unique. I don't usually take time out to stop and consider how different my home life is because I don't feel as though I've missed out on anything. My grandparents have been able to provide for me and have left me wanting for nothing.
