Publishers Letter

Robin Chesler, Publisher

I’ve always loved entertaining—not the “Come over for dinner” kind (that’s Ben’s department!)—but the kind that makes people laugh. Whether it’s telling a joke, sharing a story, singing in the backseat of my parents’ car all the way to Canada and back, or tossing in a perfectly timed funny comment, making people smile has always been my thing.

But the role I love most? The Fun Grammy.

I may not be ready for stand-up just yet, but my entertainment skills have found their perfect audience: my four grandkids. They’re captive, they laugh at my silly jokes and, best of all, they think I’m “cool.”

Whether we’re baking (my skills are limited but perfectly acceptable for the under-13 crowd), playing intense rounds of double solitaire and gin rummy with my fiercely competitive 11-year-old—who is funnier than she realizes—or belting out The Beatles songs and Broadway show tunes in the car while remembering every single word…I am, and always will be, the Fun Grammy.

Being with my grands brings out my joie de vivre. There’s no need to be serious—there’s enough of that in their daily lives, and that’s their parents’ job anyway. The joy of grandparenting is getting to indulge my silliness, share my stories and simply have fun.

We’ve raised our kids. Now we get the best reward of all—enjoying our grandkids.

And honestly…isn’t that what life is about?