SOL26-0203
Monday.
School is over and the four boys are pulling on their coats, hats, and shoes to walk through our backyards to their house.
EM already has her hat, coat, and shoes on. She stands quietly beside me and in her sweet, barely-three voice asks, “Gramma can I have marshmallows?”
I walk into my pantry to get the bag of mini-marshmallows leftover from New Year’s Day candied sweet potatoes. Into her outstretched hand I drop some mini-marshmallows, and with a voice of finality I say, “I’m giving you four.”
EM closes her fingers over the mini-marshmallows and with upturned face and a sweet smile says, “Thank you, Gramma.”
That’s when my teacher-self mingles with my grandma-self and I reach into the bag for another mini-marshmallow.
Holding it out, I ask, “EM, if I give you another marshmallow, how many will you have?”
EM uncurls her fingers to look at the marshmallows and starts counting, “One… Two… Three… Four…” Then looking up with a radiant smile, she declares, “FIVE!”
And of course, you have already guessed it, there are four more hands outstretched. I drop five mini-marshmallows into each one.
Tuesday.
Another school day is over and the clamor of putting on coats, hats, and shoes fills my kitchen.
This time it is EN (almost 5) who initiates the request for marshmallows. But instead of asking for marshmallows, he begins alternately raising his arms up and down as he dances about the kitchen loudly singing his song, “Marsh- mal- lows, marsh- mal- lows.”
EM puts down her books and joins him in song and dance.
I laugh in pure delight.
Who can count marshmallows during such a performance?
Once again, into each outstretched hand, I put five mini-marshmallows.
That’s what happens when Gramma is a teacher.
And as they left . . .
I watch them walk through the gate into their backyard, close my kitchen door against a bitter winter wind, and think, I should have a cup of hot cocoa, or no, make it a rich mocha with what else but FIVE MINI-MARSHMALLOWS.
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Once a teacher, always a teacher…even with family!
Try again! I love how your grandma self is so much easier to manipulate than the teacher self. I too am a generous grandma who shares those sugary treats and savors those memories!
I adore how you describe the way the grandma in you is so much easier to manipulate than the teacher in you! I too give generously of those treats that make memories, even if they are sugary!
This is so sweet! There’s so much joy emanating from this piece.
BTW: I love the counting of the mini-marshmallows.
I also have a teacher self that comes along with my grandma self. These little ones are sponges as well as barrels of joyful marshmallows.
Alice, what a precious post. What a blessing to live near your grandchildren. Wow! And you took a sweet photo of the hot chocolate with five marshmallows. I love everything about these sweet days in the life of a Gramma teacher.
Just proves that a teacher can make a learning experience out of any ordinary occurrence. Happy kids and one proud Gramma. We have some mini-marshmallows left over as well and usually enjoy a mid-afternoon cup of hot chocolate with a handful of marshmallows. I don’t count.
Such a great phrase: my teacher-self mingles with my grandma-self !
I never knew that my favorite years of teaching would be now, the years I am also a grandma! You capture this magical time so well! You also capture the perosnalities of your two so well. One quietly waiting and the other dancing and singing. Such lucky grandkids!! Thanks for sharing.