Grandparents Are Not All Old!

I used the above image as an example because it was the first one to appear after I searched it.

The world is biased.

The term Grandma or Grandad seems to create an assumption that everyone who is a grandparent is 'old.'

First off, I hate the term 'old.'

The question is, why are we still using this as a term to refer to those who have aged anyway?

It's horrid because although we all age, this is a term that gets misused, and assumes all people are vulnerable just because they are not young anymore.

All people age, though that does not mean that everyone who ages will be more vulnerable or frail.

However, let's fast forward to the main story.

I am 48 years old.

I am not classed as old, elderly, or aged by my doctor.

I have two grandchildren aged two and three years old.

I love being a grandparent. My grandchildren live with me, their grandad, and their mum.

They are a joy to be around, and they are very energetic children who keep everyone on their toes day and night. They love playing, holidays, dancing, drawing, painting, shopping, going on day trips, and they have a very lively imagination.

As with all children, they have days when they can tantrum all day, but they are polite, they are kind, and they love being around people.

We have to have the energy of a cheetah to keep up with them!

It angers me that when I research anything to do with grandparents on and away from the internet, it constantly throws pictures of aged people back at me, and every single article I read features an image of an aged person.

Look at this picture.

Compare it with the person in my main image above.

Do we look the same?

No!

Not all grandparents are 60, 70, 80, 90, or older.

I have a friend who just became a grandparent, and she is only 34 years old.

In truth, grandparents can be younger or older. It doesn't matter how old we are, as long as we love our grandchildren.

I love mine very much.

The world seems to have a tradition, which goes;

"To be classed as a grandparent, one must be aged."

We need to drop this notion because it isn't a fair notion towards the younger generation of grandparents.

Our young people, babies, and children are supposed to be the greatest treasures of the world.

Can you imagine how it feels when a young grandparent picks up their grandchildren from school, only not to be recognized because of their age?

We don't all have to look 'old enough to be a grandparent.'

Most of our aged community don't look that old today, so why try to guess or assume that grandparents are not who they say they are, just because they look younger?

Being younger has its advantages for me because I can still run around with my grandchildren like a teenager for longer.

My guess is many people who are aged grandparents are capable of that too.

Enjoying being a grandparent isn't about how old we are.

It's about being able to enjoy watching our grandchildren grow up, and encouraging them to be all they can be so that they grow up prepared for a happy, healthy, secure adulthood.

Can young grandparents just enjoy being grandparents to our grandchildren without being questioned or stigmatized about our age?

I'd like to see more young grandparents featured in books, magazines, on the television, and across the internet; because, we also play an important role in our grandchildren's lives and we matter, too.