The birth of a baby brings about significant changes to new parents – changes to their identities, their life responsibilities and their relationships. New grandparents are no different. New grandparents are faced with a difficult decision. They may have just discovered a sense of freedom, but they must now reorient themselves to be more involved in the lives of their children and grandchildren.
New parents often feel exhausted, vulnerable and in need of emotional and practical support. Expectations can be made based on assumptions that they may not have expressed. New parents may feel disappointed if their expectations aren’t met.
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When a child is born, the new grandparents may have their own opinions about their role as grandparents and how much involvement they want to have in the life of the children. Some grandparents may feel excluded from their grandchildren’s lives, while others feel overly responsible.
Why Are Grandparents The Best?
Grandparents are their best friends, entertainers, and comforters. Grandparents are always bringing treats to their grandchildren, letting them play with tools that parents would never allow, and allowing them to stay up late and read books while eating popcorn.
Our children’s squeals when they reach their grandparents’ house are the best sign that our grandparents are loved.
1. Your Grandparents Are not Your Parents
It’s obvious, huh? But THIS is why Nanna and Pop make such a difference. It almost goes without saying, but parents are vital, wonderful and necessary people in the life of a child. The love of a parent is beautiful and powerful, but the relationship between parent and child is complex.
They have a special kind of love because they are not parents. Grandparents don’t need to discipline the way parents do, and they can sneak treats in now and then (without worrying about dental bills or cavities! They know how to laugh, and they can have a quiet word if you need one. They don’t often nag, so our children will listen to their advice.
2. The Wisdom of Grandparents Know How to Bring Calm into Chaos.
Sometimes, life can descend into chaos. Only a rampant illness can do this. When it seems like everything is too much and everyone in your family has a stomach bug, you make an emergency call. The grandparents will arrive a few minutes (or hours) or even a flight later. They wave their magic wands like fairy godmothers to restore peace, calm tempers, and bring the chaos down. Finally, the sun is shining again.
3. Kids Learn From Their Grandparents about The Language, Culture, Animals and Cuisine.
Grandparents share their hobbies and interests with their grandchildren, whether it is baking the 100-year-old family sponge cake with grandma, knitting with Nonna, or building model trains with grandad. Grandparents are great teachers and a source of information.
4. Grandparents Like The Present Moment
They are surprisingly oblivious to the notifications that beep on their phones, or to the red notification boxes appearing in Facebook windows. Or to Snapchats that beg to be watched. In their hearts, they may be a little ‘trendy’ because they keep up with social media and their family. They prefer warm hugs over emojis, and talking face-to-face to clicking “like” on your selfie.
5. Grandparents Have a Unique Perspective and are Excellent Listeners.
As our children grow older, they turn to their grandparents for support, comfort and advice. We seek out the worldviews and perspectives of our grandparents as teenagers because they differ so much from ours. As always, nothing beats a long, warm hug from Grandma.
6. The Stories of Grandparents are Fascinating
They are full of wisdom and wit, and have lived through so many things in life. We’ll often find our oldies telling their children stories from their youth, which even WE did not know!
7. The Best Babysitters are Grandparents
There’s nothing more exciting for a child than knowing they’ll be staying at Nan and Pop’s place all weekend on Friday. There’s also nothing more exciting than knowing that your children will be spending the weekend at your parents’ home. It’s a win/win situation.
There will be board games, bush walks, and trips to the Zoo. There may be hot chocolate in the kitchen at night, and hide-and-seek under the stairs. There will be many chooks and grass rumbles.
8. The Best Guests to Have in Your Home are Also The Grandparents
Skype and FaceTime are great for grandparents who live a long way away. But nothing beats the experience of having them stay in your home and spend a few days or weeks. Oma and Opa’s arrival makes the house seem more fun. There are silly songs played at dinner and extra help for homework. Before bed, they read stories and cuddle with their grandchildren. Parents love that Oma cleans their house from top to bottom and Opa fixes any creaks on the stairs.
Benefits of Grandparents for Your Kids
Improvement in Academic Performance
The grandparents can play an important role in helping their grandchildren achieve academic success. Children who are close to their grandparents have higher chances of achieving academically than children who are not. Grandparents are able to provide a supportive environment for their grandchildren that promotes intellectual and learning development.
They can also share their expertise and knowledge on various topics and help with homework. Grandparents can read to their grandchildren, engage in educational games and other activities that encourage learning and cognitive development.
In addition, grandparents are a great source of information about education and its value. Grandparents can inspire their grandchildren to love learning by sharing their own educational experiences. Grandparents can be a source of support and encouragement during difficult academic times.
Grandparents can also help their grandchildren access educational resources and opportunities by enrolling them in extracurricular activities, finding tutors or helping with college applications.
The academic success of grandchildren can be impacted by grandparents. Grandparents can help their children excel in school by providing a stimulating and supportive environment, providing guidance and knowledge and encouraging a love of education.
Enhance Emotional Well-being
The emotional health of their grandchildren is a vital part of the role played by grandparents. They can offer a sense of stability and security during stressful or turbulent times. They can provide comfort and support, and offer wisdom and a different perspective gained through their own experiences.
The grandparents can help their grandchildren develop resilience and coping abilities. Grandparents can provide emotional support and guidance to their grandchildren, helping them navigate difficult situations. This will also help create a feeling of self-efficacy. This can result in improved emotional well-being and increased confidence and security.
Additionally, grandparents can help children develop a connection with their family’s history and culture. This can be a vital part of the child’s emotional growth. Sharing family stories and traditions can help grandparents give their grandchildren a sense that they belong.
The emotional support and guidance provided by grandparents can have a significant impact on their grandchildren’s well-being. Grandparents provide wisdom and stability to their grandchildren, allowing them to navigate through life’s challenges.
Improved Social Skills
Social development can be positively impacted by grandparents, in addition to the academic and emotional benefits. Children can develop social skills like communication, empathy and cooperation by spending time with their grandparents.
Grandparents are positive role models for their grandchildren. They can show them how to interact with others and provide guidance. Grandparents can provide a supportive and safe environment for their grandkids to develop and practice their social skills.
Spending time with grandparents also gives children the opportunity to meet people of different ages and backgrounds. It can also help children develop a wider perspective, a better understanding of the world, and a greater appreciation of diversity.
In general, the relationship between grandparents can be a great opportunity for social development. As positive role models, grandparents can provide a safe and supportive environment for their grandchildren to develop important social skills and values.
Reduced risk of behavioural problems
The role of grandparents in reducing the likelihood that their grandchildren will develop behavioural issues is also important. A close relationship between grandparents and their grandchildren can have a positive impact on children’s behaviour, reducing their risk of depression, anxiety, and other behavioural issues.
Grandparents can also offer support and guidance to their grandchildren in difficult situations, such as divorce or when a parent dies. It can help them cope with challenges and reduce behavioural problems.
In addition, grandparents can help their grandchildren maintain a sense of continuity and stability, which is especially important in times of uncertainty or change. Grandparents can, for example, help their grandchildren feel connected to the family’s history and traditions. This provides stability and a sense that they belong.
Relationships between grandparents and their grandchildren can have a positive impact on children’s behaviour and emotional well-being. Grandparents can help their grandchildren become happy, healthy and well-adjusted by providing a stable, supportive environment, giving guidance and support in difficult times and helping them maintain a feeling of continuity and stability.
We love you, grandparents! Without you, our grandchildren (and we) wouldn’t be here. Thank you for being you.
