"Why are you getting old?" the two year old asked.

I think I have told you before that my grandchildren do not know how old I am.  The little ones think I am just like them and the older ones think I am decrepit. I don't know why but there you have it!

The two little grandsons spent the night with us last night so we had fun walking, talking, reading, coloring, playing and sleeping. Going to bed is always hard but we manage to get the job done every time they come. I suppose children will sleep eventually no matter what we do. I really don't say much because I have learned sleep doesn't always appear at the door when I want it to.

However, I want to take control of the getting up part. It is not any easier than the going to sleep part but I am always hopeful.  See I am not an early riser...not even a little bit. I told the boys last night that I wanted them to stay in bed, sleep in, let grandma sleep as long as they could.

They looked at me in stunned silence and the two year old piped up the usual question.

"Why?"
"Grandma need to get her rest." I answered sounding very reasonable.
"Why?" came at me again.
"Grandma is getting old." I said using my ace in the hole card.
Unimpressed he looked me in the eyes and said once more, "Why?"

Why?

Now here is the thing.  How do you explain the why for getting old to children. I don't feel old and my grandchildren that are young don't think I am old so why am I acting old? Is it the fact that my life is spent with younger adults that worry about me getting old? Or, could it be that I am using old as an excuse for refusing to doing what I don't want. Am I to blame for people treating me like I am old because I use the old excuse as an easy way out?  I wonder.

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