Earlier this year, I became a grandpa for the first time! The experience of being a parent is amazing, but the experience of being a grandparent is even more amazing. Don’t get me wrong, I love being a Dad. I love being a Dad to eight fantastically talented kids who excel in so many ways that I’m overwhelmed with all they have accomplished so far, and look forward to a future that’s so bright for all of them.

But my oldest daughter said it best when she said, “The reward for being a good parent…grandchildren.”

That was spot on. As of this writing, I’m the very proud (wanna see some pictures? Videos? Listen to some audio?) grandpa of an over-the-top 8-month old boy. What makes things even better, is that for the past ??? weeks I’ve had the absolute pleasure of being his daytime caregiver.

Honestly, the decision was pretty easy all around. My wife (Grandma!) had the initial idea, and when we presented it to my daughter she jumped at the chance to have her Little Man stay at home with Grandpa. It’s a great deal for all of us, since he doesn’t have to leave the house in the morning, the schedule is flexible, and I get to spend tons of time bonding with Little Man.

The best part of the whole deal is that I’ve acquired a new life coach. In fact, I’ve got my own personal Yoda! Despite the fact that he’s only 8 months old, he’s as wise as the famous Jedi Master. Let me give you ten examples of the lesson I’ve learned:

1. Being impatient is OK
   • Sometimes there are things in life not worth waiting for. You know, the stupid stuff that wastes our time. By watching Little Man and thinking about why he’s impatient I’ve gotten a much better handle on what matters and what’s just stupid filler.
2. It’s good to see things from a different point of view
   • When you’re 8 months old, you’re either looking at the world from the floor or from somebody’s shoulder. Sure, on a few rare occasions you’re in your high chair at the table with everybody else, but most of the time you either above or below the crowd. I’ve spent a lot of time on the floor, more than I have in years…and frankly the world looks entirely different from that angle. Things that are so familiar from my normal height of 6′ 2″ look new and fascinating from Little Man’s usual vantage point. It pays to shift your viewpoint every once in a while to see what other folks are seeing!
3. You can go a lot of places, even if you’re barely crawling
   • Many times I’ve lamented that I’m not getting anywhere in life. I’ve been distracted by the fact that there is so much to do and see, but I’m not doing or seeing it. But watching my personal Yoda I’ve noticed that there really aren’t any obstacles that are completely insurmountable. Before he could crawl, he started out rolling everywhere. Sure, his route to his eventual destination was circuitous, but he always got where he wanted to go…no matter how much I didn’t want him to head there. He just kept his eye on the goal and got there however he could! That sort of single-minded focus, while frustrating to a caregiver, is a great trait to have when trying to accomplish any task.
4. Yell when you want to be heard, then shut up and listen
   • Related to the first point, 8 month olds aren’t the most patient creatures on the planet. But Little Man doesn’t just scream, cry, and yell for no reason. He’s always got a reason, and when we resolve the issue…he’s quiet again. When he wants to hear something, he’s more intent than anybody I know. Frankly, I don’t listen enough…but watching Little Man I’ve noticed that he’s listening to everything around him a lot more than he’s making noise. Good habit to cultivate!
5. Just because you can’t talk, doesn’t mean you don’t have a lot to say
   • Little Man doesn’t speak English the way we do, but that doesn’t mean that he can’t get his points across with great alacrity. It’s funny how quickly you can learn different ways to communicate. While we’ve been great exposing him to English, Spanish, and French verbs and nouns, he’s not having any of it at the moment. When he wants something to eat, he raises his right hand and opens and closes his fist. Drink, same motion with the left hand. When he’s tired, he’ll pat me on the back…alerting me to the fact that it’s time to pat him on the back and put him to sleep. It’s amazing how much he can “say” without using a single word!
6. Starting in the middle of a task seldom works
   • One of the most important lessons is that you simply can’t start a task in the middle. There is a distinct beginning, middle, and end. This was brought home most clearly the first couple of times I tried to snap up his sleeper. You know, the kind with snaps from neck to toes? Yeah, well if you start somewhere in the middle, you’re bound to end up matching the wrong snaps. Start at the neck, start at the left foot, or start at the right foot. There are three distinct starting places that will get the job done properly. Any other starting point is rife with a dozen possibilities that will mean you have to do the entire job over.
7. The best toys aren’t even toys at all
   • As a first grandchild, and a first child, Little Man has a vast assortment of really cool toys. Educational toys. Plush toys. A mixture of new toys accompanied by some precious hand-me-downs. But what are his go-to toys…a small circular box that contained one of the fancier educational toys and the crinkly wipe container. Yup, his favorite things to play with aren’t toys at all. We seem to work so hard at getting just the right tool or toy for the job…and oddly there is often a better alternative that’s not only cheaper, but already at hand!
8. Sleep when you’re tired and do stuff when you’re rested
   • When Little Man gets tired, he lets everybody know. Somebody picks him up and helps him get to sleep. Some naps are a few minutes in length, others are hours long. He sleeps for long periods at night, not quite to the sleeping all night model yet…but so what. When he’s tired, he rests. When he’s got energy anything is fair game. I’ve always been one to push myself well past the point of being tired…and I usually suck at whatever I’m trying to do. I’ve learned that sometimes it’s just better to rest and let my body recharge. Sometimes they’re cat naps, sometimes power naps, and sometimes it means going to bed earlier than I ever would. But the end result has been much better productivity when I’m working!
9. Sometimes more goes out than in
   • If you’ve ever changed a diaper, you know exactly what I’m talking about. You just can’t imagine that such a small person could hold that much…and sometimes you wonder when the Little Man ate all that food. This has reminded me of my work schedule. Sometimes I feel like I’m putting in just a bit, and yet a whole ton gets done. Sometimes the opposite is true, but right now I’m focusing on the smaller amounts going in and a whole “load” coming out the other end.
10. Just because you moved the crap, doesn’t mean it won’t keep bothering you
    • Associated with the prior point, just because you think you’ve dealt with the crap that you have, simply moving it somewhere else doesn’t ever solve the problem. This was brought home the first week that we shifted Little Man to solid food. Prior to that, his diapers could sit in the trash bag and not really create much havoc. Now that solid food (and it’s results) are involved, we move the crap around a lot faster…and to a more permanent location. Pretty much like my work life!

As you can see, I’ve got the in-home services of a very wise life coach. He’s a bit short on words, but his messages have changed my entire approach to life. It just amazes me how much I’ve learned from this wise Jedi Master!