By Rob Ficiur

A few days ago I saw a grandmother who was tired and worn out by a two-year-old grandchild.  Those grandbabies can wear a person out…but I recently found out that 10 and eight-year-old grandchildren, who move faster, can  tire grandparents out much faster.
During our recent trip to Colorado we had a chance to visit with, be entertained and yes tired out by our grandchildren.
One day with our grandkids we drove to the Old Hundred Gold Mine in Silverton, Colorado (an hour’s drive from the grand kids home).   It was an interesting experience as four generations of family shared the unique experience of panning for gold.  As the tour guides showed us how to pan for gold, (in the troughs provided) I noticed that great grandma (my mother-in-law) and grandsons were equally entertained by the activity.  While the museum had provided a few specks of silver, I think it was unrealistic for any of us to expect to find a huge gold nugget…but on the off chance that I was wrong everyone in our group of eight was on task determined to strike it rich.
Touring the mine itself was entertaining to people of all generations.  When our tour guide gave all the details and facts about how the gold mine operated us older folks were entertained and educated.  The temperature inside the mine was 48 degrees Fahrenheit.  What was more interesting is that he told us the temperature in the mine varied two degrees the entire year, (while outside the temperature could easily vary from 100 degrees to -20 Fahrenheit).
When it came time to demonstrate how some of these things would have worked, the guide brought the children in to “demonstrate”.  Dynamite was the way the gold miners blasted away the hard faced rock to get to the seams of gold.  After our tour guide showed us where the sticks of dynamite were put in a circular pattern he asked out eight year old grandson, Alex, to come and push down the dynamite lever.  When he pushed and nothing happened.  The eight year old learned the meaning of “role play.”
When the tour was over, Alex was very interested in the items at the gift shop.  There was a big rock of fool’s gold (and you would be foolish to pay that price for it).  After searching through the gift shop he finally asked our tour guide if the gift shop sold dynamite.  Fortunately Colorado has many rules about who can purchase dynamite and eight year olds are not on the list (even those who have  ‘worked’ in gold mines).
Back home, keeping children busy and involved is a major commitment on the part of parents.  Another day we followed the grandkids as they participated in their sports.  When I heard we were going to watch an eight year old do gymnastics, it didn’t sound entertaining.  The first few minutes we were there, I was right…as they spent 15 – 20 minutes stretching.  In the next hour as they did their jumps and runs I realized how essential the stretching routine was.   As he climbed up, hung from and spun off of the circular arm rings…my arms and wrists began to ache.  None of the children in the gym seemed to be in pain but subconsciously my wrist, arm and shoulder were telling me “Don’t even think of trying this…not once.”
Jason, the 10-year-old grandson is involved with a competitive swimming club.  A few days after he left his mother was ‘looking forward’ to getting up at 5 a.m. to get the boys to the swim meet in a distant city.  The Monday we were there we watched Jason swim back and forth; lane after lane.  After doing one stroke for a period of time, his coach talked to him and he worked on a different stroke.  Watching swimming practice is not an entertaining sport.  However our daughter assured us that come the meets, there is great excitement for the few seconds that each heat lasts.
Life isn’t all about sports.  During the afternoon our son-in-law took all us men folk to shoot off rockets while the women reluctantly went shopping.  While we broiled under the clear Colorado sky, the children’s energy level peeked.   Every time a rocket went off they chased after it.  I said I was taking pictures…therefore I couldn’t run.  Sitting in the sun for two hours can drain your energy.
It was a great day to watch and do some of these entertaining activities with our grandsons.  I “knew” that with so many activities they would be eager to go to sleep right early that evening.  “Grandpa, can we go swimming after supper?”  I was surprised at the question.  I used all my skills of persuasion? to assure these energetic boys that they were tired from all they had done that day.  Their enthusiasm made me realize that the only one that was tired was me… So we went swimming for an hour…