For My Grandchild, the Moon

For My Grandchild, the Moon

We spend money on our grandchildren because we want their childhoods to be special, because we need them to know we love them, because it’s one way to feel part of their lives.

By Paula Span

What I call Bubbe’s(bäbē) Folly(ˈfälē) began(biˈɡan) when a catalog(-ˌäg,ˈkatlˌôg) for a pottery(ˈpätərē) maker showed up in my mailbox a few months ago, intended for a former tenant(ˈtenənt) British(ˈbridiSH) who’d moved away, not for me. But I leafed(lēf) idly(ˈīdlē) through it — and spotted(ˈspätid) something wonderful.

The earthenware(ˈərTHənˌwer) plate(plāt) had blue and white stars sprinkled(ˈspriNGkəl) around the rim and, charmingly(ˈCHärmiNGlē) painted(pānt) in the center, my granddaughter’s favorite bird. Because the pattern was being discontinued(ˌdiskənˈtinyo͞od), I could buy both the plate and a matching mug(məg) for a reasonable 30 bucks. I headed for my computer to place(plās) an order.

That wasn’t the folly part.

I haven’t yet hosted my granddaughter Bartola(bärtolə) (a pet(pet) name that’s a nod(näd) to former Mets pitcher(ˈpiCHər) Bartolo Colon(ˈkōlən)) at my apartment, which is inadequately(inˈadikwət) equipped(əˈkwip) for a toddler(ˈtädlər). Instead, we spend time in her Brooklyn home, where I’m the Thursday day care provider.

But soon, once she’s easier to schlep(SHlep) on the subway and the commuter(kəˈmyo͞otər) train and no longer needs a crib(krib), she’ll come spend a weekend with Bubbe (it’s Yiddish(ˈyidiSH) for grandmother) here in New Jersey(ˈjərzē). I’m slowly collecting books and toys for those visits. Wouldn’t it be swell(swel) for her to have her own special plate and mug, too?]]It would. But as I completed the online purchase(ˈpərCHəs), I discovered that shipping the two items from England would cost as much as the merchandise(ˈmərCHənˌdīz, ˈmərCHənˌdīs) itself. Instead of a $30 indulgence(inˈdəljəns), this had become a $60 one, for a little girl who might well break the plate the second time she used it.

The folly was: Bubbe bought it anyway.

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https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/26/well/family/for-my-grandchild-the-moon.html