My grandkids were all at our home for the Thanksgiving holiday. Since they come from the farthest northwest and southeast ends of the country and would not be making a second trip for Christmas, we decided to break with tradition this year and exchange Christmas gifts on that weekend. Two families stayed with us giving us four overnight grands to dote over and our other son and family (two more grands) made the two hour drive to spend the day. At times it felt overwhelming trying to find room for all of them. I sympathized with that Bethlehem innkeeper who couldn’t find room for Mary and Joseph. Here are some things I did to prepare. Hopefully it will give you some ideas should you find yourself in the quandary of having everyone home at the same time.

Since two families were flying home and had little ones that still needed car seats, I began asking the younger families around our church if they had, or knew someone else who had, an extra car seat for the younger ones. We had already purchased a used one when the first grandchild was born but now we were going to have three at home at the same time who still needed seats. Renting them is possible through the rental car companies but it gets a bit pricey. We were able to find two more car seats and no one had to carry one and pay for the extra baggage on the plane.

A Pack ‘n’ Play is also a good thing to have on hand. You can purchase a used one at a resale shop, look for a good sale at a discount store, or borrow one of those as well. We needed one to supplement the crib I bought a few years ago—at a really good sale. That took care of sleeping space for the two littlest ones who were two and one.

For the older grands who were five and three, I have to credit my daughter-in-law with supplying the best idea. When they visit family at Christmas, Rob and Leah do about a two thousand mile road trip. When Caleb turned two, Leah bought a little tent for him. He loved sleeping in it and so when it was time to hit the road, the tent was easier than the Pack ‘n’ Play to stow in the car. They didn’t have to pay for a crib at a motel, or put him into a big bed and worry about him rolling off of it. The tent kept him confined as a crib would as he slept. And did I mention he loved it? So when I saw two kids’ tents on a clearance table, I grabbed them up and we used that for the two older grands. They had a ball camping out in the bedroom.

Other handy things I keep for visits are sippy cups, and a couple of sets of children’s silverware. Hefty now makes disposable sippy cups if you want to spend the money and not worry about the storage. They also make paper plates with zoo characters that are divided into three sections. As the grands have gotten older, I’ve begun collecting the nice plastic cups many restaurants offer with caps that have a hole for a straw. They save some spills. I keep a box of bendy straws on hand to give them a fresh straw each time.

A closet in my hall is devoted to boxes of toys some of which belonged to my kids when they were little and some came from another daughter-in-law who decided to glean some of her kids’ toys as they outgrew them. Garage sales were a good source for toys too as well as clearance sales after Christmas. I also buy kids’ meals for myself when I eat out at fast food restaurants. I don’t consume as much food and I save the toys in a box for the grands to play with as well.

We have a large coffee table in our great room and it tends to get in the way when everyone is home. I have the boys move it into our bedroom then I cover it with a thick quilt and a sheet and it becomes a changing area for the diapered grands. Save those plastic grocery bags too. They become great receptacles for the soiled diapers.

If you are the kind of grandma who can turn out a five course meal in the blink of an eye and with little effort, bless you. For me, that is next to impossible when I’m trying to play with grands and visit with children. I plan out a few meals that I can make ahead and freeze so that all I have to do is pop them in the oven and heat them up. Lasagna, chicken casseroles, and chili are several that are easy to make ahead.

Well, now I have you thinking about some ideas to make life a little easier for you and your visiting grands. With a little preparation and foresight, you can find yourself with more time for those grands that hold such a warm spot in your heart.

Copyright © 2008 by Karen Robbins Share

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