Super, Smiling Sam

Sometimes the quiet days of our golden years are sprinkled with the visits of our grandkids. These occasions bring smiles to our hearts and awaken the positive results that stem from interaction with our kin. I look forward to sharing time and space with each of them whenever they have time for a visit. I've been blessed with grandkids of all ages that are equipped with varying degrees of talk and action. They keep me busy with questions, sharing, concerns, serious talk, achievements and challenges. Their sensitive accolades provide sniffles as well. 

Grandson, Sam, is an eight year old bundle of curiosity, intelligence, hugs and kisses. He can amaze others by his calculated answers to questions. His incidental knowledge lends itself to sharing conversations about various subjects. But a loving, one-on-one banter can express his feelings, answer a question or just talk about something special that ultimately puts a smile on his face. He has autism and is a remarkable “poster child” for being the best he can be.            

Sam’s place on the spectrum puts him at the higher end of function. He can speak, run, comprehend, interact and try his best to do things kids of his age can do. He is working on expanding his attention span that’s been a slight challenge at his age. Our modern technology seems to have accidentally contributed to a possible help-aid by means of the I-Pad. Today’s kids are learning many things through the inventions of hand-held devices that challenge their time, selections, intelligence and dexterity. Sam does very well with puzzles and other I-pad games that test his comprehension, motivation, calculation and patience. His achievements are sometimes overshadowed by his anxious search for the next challenge. But he always has time for hugs and kisses. These testimonials are the ultimate reward from an angelic, lovable child.  

Sam loves to share his cars and trucks when his cousins come over. Imagination takes over and  a friendly match up can easily turn into a learning experience. His outside activities include playing Tag in the backyard or climbing on the wooden structure that serves as a hideout or safe haven for other games. When visiting, I might even watch his baseball game at a local park. And when he is visiting at my home, he especially loves to take pretend restaurant orders in my kitchen. He rustles up the imaginary hamburgers or chicken nuggets with the flair of a seasoned chef.  My plastic utensils get quite a workout when he‘s in charge of the “cooking.” No order is too big for the chef to whip up. When his “restaurant” closes, there’s Lego and board games. 

I’m positive that grandkids are the best prescription for grandparent’s aches, pains and loneliness that puts happiness in our hearts. Fortunately, there are no medical or dosage restrictions for these cures. All we need are plenty of refills. And a hankie for our happy tears that are forthcoming from grandkids’ visits including my super, smiling  Sam. 

Lizabeth Braskie

I'm a retired Sun Newspaper typist. I've been writing freelance articles for the past twenty five years. Some of them are personal experiences having to do with my family of eight children and a total of twenty grandchildren. They keep me busy with a variety of subject matter.

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Volume 10, Issue 5, Posted 7:30 AM, 05.03.2018