Kidding Around

Playing with a three-year-old grandchild is unparalleled fun,

From her imperious command to sit on her tricycle or to duck her water gun;

To contort the body under the table to hear her say, ‘Ready-or-not-here-I-come’,

Is pleasure incomparable, though the creaking bones to the pain succumb.

She makes the grandfather kneel on all his fours, 

And rides on his back, urging him on as if he is on the racecourse.

Sliding up and down his legs, when on the bed;

Not a thought goes for his knees when she is on her makeshift sledge.

The day whizzes past answering her bossy directives,

Her joyousness to include you in her activities is absolutely infectious.

Try playing ‘catch’ with a boisterous and energetic toddler,

Running like a headless chicken is to have on speed dial one a doctor.

Jumping up and down in ‘muddy puddles’ with Peppa is now our favourite past time,

Grandpa pig and grandma pig have been covered in grime for their lifetime.

“Is this for me?” she lisps endearingly throughout the day,

Try telling her the Amazon delivered packet of medicines is not a toy for her to play with.

Watching Diana And Roma has made her dollar smart,

With her imaginary currency, she makes us our treasures part.

When her mother reprimands her for some mischievous prank,

Pat comes the reply, “Me too” and leaves us all mouths gaping blank.

Facing the wall one day as a punishment for indiscipline,

Melts our heart as we see a wobbling chin and big fat tears creeping in.

But like the proverbial water off the duck’s back,

She springs up happily in spite of this setback.

Ordered to sit behind her on her pink Little Swing Twister car,

The family sees traversing around the house a visual most bizarre;

At the park in the evening is the ultimate test of our valour,

Sliding down behind her, this is our ‘heart -in -the- mouth’ moment of yore.

To her cries of ‘wheee’ and see her swinging like a monkey,

A glass of wine to unwind is a must, believe you me!

But having a grandchild growing up in front of you, 

Is God’s way of making up for all he has put you through.

Jumping up and down every night on Baby Shark do-do-do rhyme 

Finally gets us the sweetest and the slurpiest kiss ever before bedtime!