Grandma's happiness

Grandma, the soup you made is terrible!

Little Ha My blurted out the soup after just a few spoonfuls.

I was a little taken aback, a little confused. For almost a month now, since my daughter and son-in-law went to Bien Hoa for work, I've been trying to come up with different dishes to alternate for my two granddaughters who are at a growing age. But the frank, uninhibited comments from my younger sister have hurt my feelings.

Approaching seventy, an age where I've experienced being a daughter-in-law, a wife, a mother, and countless days carrying shopping bags, picking up and putting down vegetables and fish... I'm not a bad cook myself. Proof of my "housekeeping" skills is that my mother-in-law, husband, and children have never once criticized my cooking. But today, with the children's parents away from Monday morning to Friday afternoon, I'm forced to return to being a "mother" to my two lovely little princesses. Suddenly, I feel overwhelmed because everything I cook gets criticized by them. My fifth-grade daughter, Ha Anh, seems more understanding; she eats less of what she doesn't like without saying anything. But Ha My, the youngest, just starting first grade, speaks frankly and innocently about what she doesn't like, leaving me flustered and feeling guilty...

So, like a new bride arriving at her husband's home, I carefully asked the children's parents about their eating preferences and how to prepare some dishes the sisters usually eat at home. At the same time, I went online to research and learn how to prepare many different dishes to vary the menu, calculating how to make sure the meals were nutritious and varied so the children could enjoy their food without worrying about weight gain or obesity, as they were already quite chubby.

It's been a long time since I've had to cook because my daughter-in-law is so capable. Now that I've moved in with my daughter to help look after the two grandchildren, I feel quite pressured. From keeping track of the children's pick-up and drop-off times to thinking about what to cook and how to prepare it so they'll enjoy it, and then observing them while they eat to see if they like it, if they finish their portions, and whether they praise or criticize it so I can adjust accordingly... The school sends out menus to parents, and from there I make sure the children's meals are different from what they eat at school, which they really enjoy.

During meals, I often ask the children what they ate for lunch at school, and if it was delicious. Both of them confided in me, saying that there were more delicious dishes at school and that eating with friends was more fun. And thanks to the current online literacy program, their grandmother knows how to go online to learn how to cook the children's favorite dishes.

So, a seemingly simple task has taken up all my time each day. My retired friends, my health club, my performing arts group... I've temporarily put them all aside. All my attention is focused on taking care of the children's meals, picking them up and dropping them off, and helping them with their homework. When dropping them off at school, I always follow their instructions: "Grandma, you have to stop the car outside the line." The children are very innocent but conscientious and have learned many things from their teachers. I feel very happy seeing the changes in education today and the daily progress of my children and grandchildren.

Last Friday afternoon, while I was busy watering the spinach plants by the side of the house, my son-in-law spoke up:

• We've been away from home for a whole week now, Mom, let's all go out and get something to eat later!

Before I could answer, little Ha Anh chattered on:

• Let's eat at home, Dad. I saw Grandma bought so much stuff. She said she'll cook it for the whole family this weekend.

Little Ha My continued, adding to her older sister's words:

- Grandma has an absolutely delicious pumpkin soup simmered in coconut milk, Dad!

- Sweet and sour pork ribs, stuffed tofu... many dishes my grandmother makes are even better than my mother's!

My daughter and son-in-law stared in surprise, because just last week they heard the children complaining that it was bad. I was also quite surprised that the grandchildren praised their grandmother, something I could never have dreamed of before.

The family gathering on a weekend evening made the meal even more joyful and delicious. Overwhelmed with happiness, I forgot to eat, just sitting and watching my children and grandchildren eat and chat animatedly. I felt so happy, a wonderful feeling that lingered in my mind. That happiness shone in the eyes and smiles of my daughter and son-in-law, and in the cheerful, carefree chatter of my two young grandchildren.

That happiness is so simple, so ordinary. The feeling of pressure from being forced to "be a mother" at the age of 67 has vanished. I feel that although I'm quite old, I'm still healthy, still sharp-minded, and still able to help my children and grandchildren, allowing them to focus on their work with peace of mind. Every day, taking my grandchildren to school, going to the market, and cooking meals makes me feel useful, valuable, and able to help my children and grandchildren. That's all the happiness a grandmother like me can achieve.

Nguyen Thi Hoang Oanh

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/van-hoa/202512/hanh-phuc-cua-ngoai-19e0459/