I thought being a grandmother would be easier than being a mother. Now that I am one, it's harder in many ways.

The author said she was more carefree when she was mothering her own children. As a grandmother, the stakes are higher. Courtesy of Stephanie Davis. I always heard that when you're a grandparent, you get the fun without all the responsibility. For me, the responsibility feels doubled: You could hurt both your child and grandchild. Being young and naive has its perks. Now I'm older and wiser — and way more cautious. As I carried my tiny granddaughter down the stairs, a thought flashed through my mind that I never would have had 30 years ago. What if I drop her? I clutched her tight, shooed the horrifying thought out of my mind, and continued down the stairs into the kitchen to warm up the breast milk my daughter-in-law had left for us.