And then came this tiny guy, the brother of the plump one. He was fondly called the "cute baby" because of his size and adorable face. For quite some time, he had a bald head and was nicknamed "Potato." He is one of the quietest of the lot, an admirable child who didn’t need anyone to play with. A great self-entertainer, he could manage his time all by himself.

Putting him to bed was not difficult at all. It was only in later years that I tried telling him stories and giving him a soft massage. He was fond of listening to stories, though.

Like our eldest grandson, he loved dancing and would make his moves to any song. He was the kind of child who never even whimpered when going to school for the first time. On one occasion, when his parents were delayed in picking him up, he quietly stood with his teacher, waiting without panic. Calm, composed, and cool—he maybe even had some of my traits. He was so fond of books! Right from the age of four, the first thing he did in the morning, even before coming for breakfast, was pick up a book. He would get lots of books from the library as well as from bookshops or online.

I used to play pretend football with him, deliberately letting him win occasionally. With my wife, he would solve "find the five differences" puzzles, and due to his concentration, he would easily solve them. He is the opposite of me when it comes to adventure sports—never scared of any ride, no matter how difficult. Keeping him engaged was never an issue because he always found something to occupy his mind. Recently, he has developed an interest in origami and is fond of making different types of paper planes. He is an aspiring soccer and table tennis player.

A serious and studious child, he is interested in and curious about the world around him. He loves to do research. During one of his science quests, he recorded an experiment with explanations, which gave the definite impression that this young boy might one day become a researcher or professor.

I wonder if he has already read more books than me.

The point of these four parts is to emphasize the fact that each child is different, with unique interests and abilities. It’s necessary for parents and grandparents to nurture and bring their talents to the fore. It cannot be a one-rule approach. We have to adapt to each child’s interests and keep them engaged. Each of these kids has taught us a lesson or two. The relationship between a grandparent and a grandchild is very special and transcends all barriers. That’s why your own children often ask, “You were so strict with us, but with the grandkids, you are so liberal.” That’s the generation bridge.

These kids, always with laughter and smiles on their faces, are a constant source of effervescent joy to us.

To be continued... 44A. Playing with grandchildren - Part 4A