Grand times with grandchildren: Grandparents reflect on positive experiences with their grandchildren
Quality time is meaningful to grandparents and their grandchildren alike.
Spending time with grandchildren can range from cozy nights in to exciting adventures, and grandparents in Butler County cover the whole range of activities.
Three local senior citizens said they adore being with their grandchildren, but also claimed there are benefits beyond enjoyment.
“I think it’s important for different generations to be in anyone’s life,” said Christine Erdman, 67, of Valencia. “It’s important to tell (children) the stories, just tell them what (life) was like.”
Erdman watches her three grandchildren during the summer, while their mother, her daughter, is at work.
This summer, she began each day with what she called “playing to their strengths.”
Breakfast was cooked with help from 12-year-old Julia, while Kobe, who is 15, helped take care of the cleanup. Then, 8-year-old, animal-loving Allison would accompany Erdman in walking the dog.
Afterward, the day’s activities would begin.
A favorite spot for Erdman’s grandchildren is the new Middlesex playground, she said. She also spends time with her grandchildren at North and Alameda parks, as well as the Kamin Science Center and Carnegie Museum of Natural History.
“I’m so glad my grandkids are this age … I miss having kids, and this stuff is what I miss,” Erdman said.
She said they often did activities together, but claimed it is important for the children to have individual time with their grandparents.
Mark Keitzer, 74, of Mars, also said he spends one-on-one time with his grandchildren. Though instead of calling him “Grandpa,” the 12-, 13- and 16-year-olds affectionately refer to him as “Aw Man.”
This is because Keitzer once said the phrase while with his then-infant granddaughter. She repeated it, making “Aw Man” her first word and Keitzer’s permanent nickname.
His favorite thing to do with the children is take them out to breakfast at Country Kitchen in Penn Township. He also routinely takes them to the movies, and he will treat them to Ichiban Steakhouse on their birthdays.
“It’s important for me to be able to communicate with them and to try and understand their world,” Keitzer said. “I also want to share my world with them. I like to see them grow. I like to understand what they’re thinking.”
And according to Keitzer, the affection goes both ways. When Keitzer was in the hospital after a stroke, his grandchildren called him every night to let him know they missed him and that they love him.
“We have dinner together, I make popcorn for them. It’s those little times they remember and that feels so good to me,” he said.
Phyllis Bonzo, 88, of Mars, shared similar sentiments about her family. She not only has six grandchildren, but 16 great-grandchildren.
“God has been so good to me to give me this big family,” she said. “I just love them.”
Bonzo said she enjoys playing board games with the grandchildren, doing outdoor activities and celebrating holidays. When she and the children were younger, they would bake together.
She claimed the activity doesn’t matter so long as they can be with each other.
“I spend any amount of time with my grandkids that I can,” she said. “Family is absolutely the best when they’re all together.”
