Grandma Sitting: How to Babysit A Grandma by Jean Reagan

Babysitting a grandma is easy as long as you remember to keep her busy. Grandmas have a lot of energy, and they can get restless if they don't have something new to do throughout the day. Luckily, this little girl has packed her activities list along with her pajamas as she heads over to Grandma's house.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO WHEN YOU GET TO HER DOOR?

PUT ON A DISGUISE AND SAY "GUESS WHO?"

KNOCK WITH A SECRET KNOCK? IF YOU LIKE CATS, SAY "MEOW?"

WHEN SHE OPENS THE DOOR, SHOUT "GRANDMA, YOUR BABYSITTER IS HERE!"

Grandmothers need a little excitement in their lives, but they also need some exercise, so get her outside right away for a nice long walk in the fresh air.

Then it's time for some hands-on activities. Grandmas love those.

Bake some snickerdoodles and do some yoga.  Pull out your karaoke mikes and belt out some duets, Stimulate her creativity with some role-playing, like playing dress up and let her play a shoe shop saleslady while you pretend to buy some new shoes. And if Grandma seems to be getting tired, have some quiet-time activities at hand, like playing cards and reading aloud. Let her do the choosing for her favorite stories.

Get the wiggles out by taking Grandma to the park, and make sure she gets to go down the big slide. Look for the first star, and see if she remembers the rhyme to make a wish on it.

Then take her back home. Make sure she washes her hands thoroughly and let her help to make dinner. Make funny faces with the food and she'll eat it all. Oh, and don't forget....

BE SURE TO PUT SPRINKLES ON EVERYTHING!

And when it's time to get ready for bed, remember than Grandma may be missing your mom and dad, so be sure to cuddle in her bed and read her some quiet stories so that she'll sleep well all night! And when Mom comes in the morning, don't forget to hug Grandma and tell you love her a lot!

Jean Reagan's latest, How to Babysit a Grandma (Alfred A. Knopf/Random House, 2014) is an endearing look at a little girl who knows how to turn the tables on Grandma. Her humorous cheat sheet on Grandmas-sitting, (including "Places To Sleep," from a blanket tent in the living room to the couch, to, of course, the "big bed,") keep both of them busy and having fun while we presume Mom and Dad are doing the same. It's hard to say who's managing whom here, but it's a lot of fun for grandparent and child, and Lee Wildish's lively illustrations provide plenty of comic details to keep readers engaged in the whole process. This book is a companion book to Reagan's earlier bestseller, How to Babysit a Grandpa, (see review here) and is a great one for grandparent and child to share on Mothers Day.