It’s Easter this weekend and, as expected, I intend to spend a good part of Sunday doting on my grandchildren.
I well remember the days of being a busy young parent, one who was always rushed, often impatient and frequently stressed. I used to watch my mother indulge my kids and wish I didn’t always feel that every opportunity I had with them had a clock running beside me. I noticed how she put everything on hold to walk at their pace when beckoned, to slow down the world for a while, and I would think, some day.
Well, as it is for most parents, some day didn’t happen until I had grandchildren of my own. It has been said that grandmothers are mothers given a second chance and in my experience that’s a fairly accurate assessment.
When my grandchildren come to visit, priorities shift from what they were when my kids were small. Despite being a working woman with only weekends free to accomplish tasks around the house, it now seems easy to shove responsibilities to the back burner when these precious ones are visiting. I suddenly find endless hours to play, to work together on little projects or just to sit and chat.
As for that indulging aspect of which I spoke before, it’s rather fun too. Those kids of mine, who had no problem letting their grandmother spoil them, don’t seem to think it should happen with their wee ones. Sadly, they don’t have a leg to stand on. As I tell them over and over, it’s not my job to discipline and deprive. It’s mine to wrap their children in bundles of hugs, to keep a handy candy jar at my house, to jump when they want attention and everyone else is too busy, to pamper and adore them.
Obviously, they are disciplined when in my company if needed. But having made mistakes the first time around I have come to recognize which battles are important in raising kids. I can trust Mom and Dad to primarily be the firm hands, leaving their grandfather and I to show them that sometimes the world just gives good stuff.
Special occasions, then, are my opportunity to go a little crazy. Besides the requisite spring outfits, I’ve also spent time over the past few weeks buying toys and sweets. These will be put together in individualized bags for them to seek out during Sunday’s egg hunt. It’s what I did with my own children; I’ve just moved it up a notch for the new generation.
In order to identify the bags, I will be creating a personalized tag for each child, a simple project that only requires the addition of an image to paper.
There are, however, many great tutorials for other Easter projects to be found online, so for Tutorial Tuesday, I thought this might be the place to list a few. Here are some favourites:
Design an Easter Poster in Photoshop
Draw an Easter Egg in Photoshop
Create an Easter Bunny Scene in Illustrator
Create a Happy Easter Postcard
Create an Easter Egg in Illustrator
Create an Easter Card in Photoshop
Make a Print-Ready Easter Greeting from Scratch
Create a Cute Photoshop Easter Egg Bee
Create a Cute Easter Bunny in Illustrator
