Up front: Oh, Baby! A Grandmother’s Take on the First Year

Ah, the first year of a baby’s life. My daughter is very lucky that I’m a stone’s throw away.

Now, I’ve been through it before with my own kids, but watching my grandbaby, that’s a whole different ballgame. Babies are adorable, tiny, squishy dictators with zero regard for personal space, sleep schedules, or your sanity. But the privilege of watching them grow day by day? That’s the good stuff, and the reward for surviving parenthood the first time around.

I thought I knew love when I had my own kids, but my grandson? Next level. It’s the kind of love that makes you feel slightly guilty, like, “Wait… do I love this baby more than I love my own kids?” Seriously, I mean, I adored my children, of course, but let’s be honest, I was also stressed, sleep-deprived, and wondering if I’d ever go to the bathroom alone again. Grandparent love is different. It’s deeper, softer. Probably because you’re not the one changing the diapers at 3 a.m.

Here’s what I’ve learned: parenting today is a whole new world. Apparently, half the things I did with my own kids would get me reported to Child Protective Services today. Back in my day, we put the baby in a bouncer in front of the TV so we could get five minutes of peace. Now? No screens before the age of three, and don’t even think about showing them a tablet. Apparently, a single episode of Bluey could fry their delicate little brain cells.

And food? I’m still scratching my head with this. One of my children has a nut allergy, and I spent years nervously avoiding peanuts, convinced that one sniff of peanut butter would cause instant catastrophe. Today, pediatricians are practically handing out jars of peanut butter in the hospital room. “Early exposure helps prevent allergies,” they say. Well, okay then!

And just when you think you’ve got a handle on things – enter social media. Oh. My. God. When I had babies, advice came from your mother, your neighbour, and that one parenting book everyone pretended to read. My daughter pulls up TikTok and is bombarded with a thousand different conflicting opinions on how to sleep train, feed, burp, dress, and breathe around the baby.

Still, some things never change. That baby scent when they snuggle into your neck, the sound of their little laugh, the first gummy smile. Pure magic. The best part of grandparenting? You get all the love, all the cuddles, and none of the sleepless nights.

Mary Racioppo
Editor-In-Chief, City Parent