Life

8 Reasons Why A Hot Mess Grandma Is Your Saving Grace

Grandmas come is many forms. Some are organized, always on time, and perfectly put together. Others, well, not so much. Your always late, never prepared, continuously forgetful grandma isn't less than. Sure, your calendar might be a disaster, and she might wear the same t-shirt for days on end. She might send Christmas presents in March and get your kids' names mixed up. But make no mistake, there are a lot of reasons why a hot mess grandma is your saving grace.

To be perfectly clear, my mom is a hot mess grandma to my kids and, without a shadow of a doubt, is 100 percent my saving grace. Hell, she's my kids' saving grace, too. She might not always be at the top of her game, but my mom's the one constantly going the extra mile to make sure my kids have what they need emotionally, physically, and spiritually. For example, even when she's running around like a proverbial chicken with its head cut off, she's always listening to them. Always. And yes, her purse looks like a war zone and people are constantly tripping over it since she feels the need to just throw it wherever, but inside that purse is every conceivable thing a child could possibly need.

The point is, before you go and judge someone's hot mess grandma, take a minute to read why they're the probably the saving grace in that family's life. You don't have to have your sh*t together, to be the sh*t.

Because They Always Make Time For You & Your Family

Hot mess grandmas like my mom are never too busy for their grandkids. Yes, she still works a full-time job, and, no, we don't live as close as we used to. And still, she'll drop everything to make a call, send a text, or find a way to see my kids. T

I'll never forget the time my car broke down an hour before I was supposed to take my kids to see a movie. With no transportation, my kids weren't able to see the film they had been excited to see. The next day, my mom cancelled her plans to take my kids to see that movie. That's the kind of thing a hot mess grandma does. She might be flaky, but she's never going to miss an opportunity to show up for her grandkids.

Because They're Flexible

A hot mess grandma is always able to make last-minute plans. She'll stop what she's doing and come to the rescue of your bored child, taking them on a impromptu, full-day adventure (that will probably include candy before bed, but whatever).

Why? Well, because hot mess grandmas fly by the seat of their high-rise pants.

Because They're Great Listeners

Have you ever talked to a hot mess mom? Sure, they might seem distracted, but they've grown so used to living in the middle of chaos that, make no mistake, they're hanging off your every word.

The same can be said of hot mess grandmas. My grandmother was an intent listener who made direct eye contact, asked questions, and made sure I felt heard. It took some time before I realized that, while my mom seems to be watching her crime drama or cleaning our her giant purse, she's listening. Don't let the exterior fool you. Hot mess grandmas are the ones you can count on.

Because They're Involved

A hot mess grandma is involved in your kids' lives to the fullest extent. She might be a bit disheveled — from hopping place to place and trying to avoid being 30 minutes late — but she'll be there.

Because They're Intuitive

When my kids don't feel like talking to me or I can tell something's "off," I send them to my mom's and she magically gets them to open up. As a grandmother, she just gets it. Even if she's in the middle of a phone call with someone else, or vacuuming the carpet, she knows when her grandkids needs to talk about something important.

Because They Always Have Everything You Need

Have you ever looked inside a grandmother's purse or bag? It's magical. It's an universe unto its own. It's a portal to another dimension. Hell, it's kind of scary, because you'll never know what that grandma is going to pull out next.

Sure, it might take her a few minutes (read: hours) to find what you need, but that hot mess grandma has everything. My mom carries everything from batteries to tissues, Bandaids to candy. It doesn't matter where we are, or what the problem is, there's nothing she can't fix with her gigantic bag of tricks.

Because They're Great Problem Solvers

Hot mess grandmas have the best advice. They've lived a thousand lifetimes, so they know it all and are more than willing to share what they've learned. Their advice is probably going to be odd and they may not give standard anecdotes, or commentary, but they're good for a laugh and typically a dose of unconventional wisdom.

Because They'll Never Judge You

Hot mess grandmas have been in a lot of situations you probably don't want to know about. They know what it's like to be the center of ridicule, they've been the topic of never-ending gossip about how they present themselves or why they're late, and they've weathered a few judgmental looks when they're don't appear as "put-together" as other grandmas (whatever that even means). This is why, no matter what you or your kids go through in life, that hot mess grandma will never, ever judge you.

Check out Romper's new video series, Bearing The Motherload, where disagreeing parents from different sides of an issue sit down with a mediator and talk about how to support (and not judge) each other’s parenting perspectives. New episodes air Mondays on Facebook.