The Evil Terrible GrandPa or Not

[John McLaughlin]

The Background:



There is this grandfather who has a 3 year old grandson who has been through a lot in the last few weeks. In fact he has seen more doctors than his Grandfather has in his lifetime. So to cheer up his Grandson his grandfather went and bought him a stuff elephant. You say why a stuff elephant? The answer is simple. The young Grandson loves animals and the Elephant is his favorite. How does the Grandfather know this? It is because when he was asked at Daycare what he was thankful for during this Holiday Season he said elephants, not family or toys like the other children but elephants.

Grandpa said to himself: Wow an elephant should cheer him up. Grandpa did not get just any old elephant he bought him the biggest he could find on Amazon, a four foot stuff elephant with tusks and trunk. Grand father was elated thinking how happy the boy would me. When he was told the big box was for him he was so excited and said an elephant was inside it. Well from there it went down hill. It now appears the Grandson has been traumatized by the large loving fluffy stuff elephant as he has kept his distance from it once he saw how big it was. His parents, not to be named to protect the innocence, placed it next to the Christmas tree. Now the Grandson will not go near the Tree but makes a wide path around it to make sure the elephant won’t get him. How he did warn the elephant when he saw their Chihuahua sitting in its lap that he better not eat him.

So the Grandfather is scared especially in this day an age where the press is quick to jump to conclusions without knowing all the facts will get a hold of this story and label him “The Evil, Terrible Grandpa”.

So I am just wondering should he be concerned?

 

[Beachbummer]

Maybe swap with smaller less intimidating elephant of same model, and tell him the elephant likes him so much it shrunk just to play with him...and you keep the savings on the cost difference.


Best of luck however you proceed!!!

 

[dnicholas47]

I am a big pro wrestling guy, so I would say make it fun. Cut a promo on the elephant for messing wiht your grandson, and then drop The People's Elbow on it. Hopefully that will lighten him up, and once you've put the elephant in its place everyone can be friends...or else.

 

[BigAbe75]

Stuffed animals are tricky. We used to have some dolls with weird googly eyes that freaked out our oldest daughter when she was that age. She also didn’t like the animated dolls - Halloween tree that hoots or stuffed dancing frog holding hearts at Valentine’s Day.

2 years later, she wouldn’t leave them alone. They both played their song and did their thing nonstop until the season was over and they got put away.

If nothing else, elephant can go live in grandpas attic/basement for a couple years. One day he’ll come to visit and see him sitting in a corner and decide that he’s pretty cool after all.

Don’t get beat up about it. Sometimes it’s tough for grandparents to know what the best gifts are. Especially in cases where the families aren’t as close as they could be. We spend a lot more time with my wife’s folks than with mine and the relationships with the grandparents and grandkids reflect that. (To my moms disappointment). But, the kids are getting older and my folks are coming around more so that’s improving.

 

[Liveto99]

When he is sleeping put it in his bed. When he wakes up a few times next to it and is not hurt he should be ok. First time if he is freaked out move the elephant to the corner and say you heart it’s feelings and it’s crying. Go over sit next to it and ask your grandson to come say hi. Introduce him to the elephant say that he just wanted to be friend.

kids minds are still developing, they are going crazy with thoughts, fears and the big unknown. He is also scared of what is going on with the Dr.
they can not separate all the feeling.

Or sit and talk to him one on one and introduce the elephant to him after a minute. Let him know it is only there for love and hugs.

Forget the media, I don’t even turn on the news with my kid around. “Everything you eat is bad for you, people kill each other in Chicago, nuclear power plant in Japan releases radiation, Gaza Strip bombed, politicians fingered a girl 25 years ago. None of this crap matters directly in my life, and the other half of the crap they say is wrong.

my grandfather drank a bottle of scotch at least every day, ate the fat off his steak, smoked and lived to 87? The media just causes stress we are living with the greatest quality of life ever and the best medical care ever in history, enjoy life without the media.

Best of luck to your grandson and god bless this holiday season.
Jim

I would also get him the smallest elephant so he can always have it with him.

 

[John McLaughlin]

My thanks for all of the responses I will pass onto my daughter and son-in-law.

 

[Dixie Highway]

I think honesty may be the best policy here. Maybe a visit or FaceTime/Skype/whatever face to face call with your grandson and explain that you wanted him to have the biggest and best elephant you could find since that’s how much you love him. Ask him what he’d like you to do with it. Would he like to get a smaller one? Would he like you to keep it at your house for a few years and see if he wants to try again? This is not the end of the world, as you know children have these kind of things happen all the time. He’s little, so the elephant that’s bigger than he is seems scary. I was never one to baby my children, as we know the world is a scary place and they need to be ready ready for it. But that is his parents’ job. As grandpa you get to be silly and spoil him rotten and buy him whatever damn elephant makes him happy.