A: It’s possible, but I would hate to see your grandson deprived of such a delightful experience with you. Why don’t you try this? Put the pots and pans and spoons in a special cardboard box. Use big wooden spoons, as they don’t look much like the spoons we eat with. You might even write “Marching Pans and Spoons” on the box with a magic marker. When you take them out to begin a parade, say something to reinforce the idea that using these pots and pans and spoons is very different from using the pans stored in the kitchen cabinet or the spoons on the table. Be very matter-of-fact about it, and try to resist the temptation to say, “Your mommy and daddy don’t like it when we march with the pots and pans.” We grandmothers have to make that sacrifice sometimes to keep peace with our adult kids—and to continue our “contact privileges” with our grandchildren!