I Became My Grandson’s Guardian When He Was Barely Two Years Old

I never imagined I would be raising a toddler again in my late fifties.

By then, I had already done the hard work of motherhood—sleepless nights, scraped knees, school meetings, teenage heartbreaks. I had watched my own children grow up and step into their adult lives. I thought my role had shifted to something softer: weekend visits, birthday cards, and spoiling grandchildren before sending them home.

But life doesn’t always follow the roles we plan for.

When my grandson was barely two years old, I became his guardian.