Most grandparents think the joy of grandkids is one of the delights of growing older. It’s been said that the best thing about grandchildren is you can have fun with them, spoil them rotten, then send them home with their parents. There is really a lot more to it than that, including the pure pleasure of having them around.

Four grandmothers gathered at the Senior Citizens Center in Morristown recently were more than happy to talk about their grandchildren.

Geraldine Seals has seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Her sister-in-law Lois Seals has six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

For Norene James, the numbers are seven grandkids and one great-grandchild.

Naomi Webb has them all beat. Her five children have produced seven grandchildren, and they in turn have given her nine great-grandchildren. One of the great-grandchildren has made Naomi a great-great grandmother.

All the grandmas agree it’s wonderful to have the grandkids around, especially when they are young. As they become teenagers, they sometimes begin to move in their own circles.

When they are old enough to marry, grandparents can look forward to a new batch of youngsters with the arrival of great-grandchildren.

"My grandchildren are all grown," Lois said. "The three youngest great-grandchildren I keep some."

She said the older ones don’t come around as much as they once did.

"They like being out doing their stuff," she said.

Geraldine said the times, grandparents don’t want to miss out on, are when they grandchildren are old enough to be interesting, but still too young to become detached.

"My two youngest granddaughters, they want you to do everything with them. They are ages 10 and 12," she said.

The grandmothers all admit they spoil their grandchildren.

"That’s what grandkids are for," Norene said.

Norene, Lois and Geraldine say all grandkids share some similar traits. When they come to visit, they head straight to the kitchen and fridge, Lois said. The others laughed in agreement.

Naomi takes a slightly different track.

"Now, they all cook for me, she said.

All four say they have good, loving relationships with the younger generations, and there is always lots of hugging goodbye kissing with them.

"There’s nothing like good love in a family," Naomi said. "It’s a lot in the way you raise them."

With a lot of offspring, birthdays can be fun, but there is a downside, too. What do you get them for birthday presents, especially when they seem to already have everything.

"I go to all their birthday parties," Naomi said. "I just give them a little money."

Norene said she is pleased her grandchildren and great-grandchildren attend church.

"I like to watch my grandkids when they go to church and get up in the choir and sing," she said.

Going places with the grandkids is fun, and all the grandmothers do it.

"We do a lot of stuff. They play ball and cheerlead," Geraldine said.

Despite the indifference the older ones may seem to display at times, they can be sensitive and thoughtful, too.

"When I had my cancer surgery, my two grandkids called me every day," Norene said.

Children seem to grow up fast. So do grandchildren. It’s best to spend as much time with them as possible while you can, the grandmothers said.