Rocker Keith Richards admits he was in denial about becoming a grandfather when his first grandchild was born because he did not want to face up to the role.
The Rolling Stones legend now has five grandchildren, reported Daily Express.
"The first grandchild you try to ignore in a way - not the child, the fact.
"Then when they are old enough to say, 'grandpa' and you realise they are talking to you, and it's like 'oh right...'. But I'm growing into it. Grandparents can do great things with the kids and, since I am one, I am here to raise the profile of grandfathers," he said.
Richards' acceptance of his role as a family elder helped him to work on a children's book entitled 'Gus & Me', with his illustrator daughter Theodora.
The project allowed the 70-year-old musician to pay homage to his own grandfather Gus Dupree, a defining influence on his early life in Dartford.
"My first response was 'A children's book? You're kidding me', But I've always wanted to pay homage to Gus. He gave me my first guitar when I was nine and set me on my way.
"For me, the idea of grandparents zoomed into my consciousness at about age five. My mum would take me to visit Gus," he added.
