Grandparents have a special part in their grandchildren’s lives and vice versa. Grandparents find joy in young children; they feel reinvigorated and young. They get to love their children’s children with all their heart without the pressures and responsibilities of parenthood.
It is said that it takes a village to raise a child, and grandparents are a natural part of that village. They help in caring for the little ones and give good advice to hapless parents.
No matter the differences that you may have with your parents, it is still a good idea to try to bring your kids closer to their grandparents. After all, they are the people who love you the most, and your children by extension.
Visit them regularly
Even if you live in an extended household, chances are you are not living with both sets of grandparents. By scheduling regular visits, your children will get to interact with their grandparents. This allows the grandparents to hear stories first-hand and slowly get to know their grandchildren.
Set dates
Let’s face it: your parents may only have a narrow time frame to do this. If your children do not require to be chased around the room and the grandparents are up to it, scheduling dates will allow them to establish deeper bonds. Without mum and dad, children often show a different side, surprising you how well-behaved they can be.
Grandparents enjoy the time they spend with their grand-kids without the hovering parents around. It is their joy to spoil the kids to their hearts’ content, without fear of being reprimanded by the parents.
Utilize Technology
When distance truly limits being together, technology may be the answer. Video calls are now common and not science fiction like a decade ago. The sight and sound of their grandchildren are almost as invigorating as the real thing.
Moreover, for the children, these video conferences are a way to make sure that their grandparents are never out of their minds.
Make a Grandparents Journal
Encourage your kids to “interview” their grandparents. There are available grandparents journals in bookstores but you can also make your own. Design questions such as “When did you meet grandma?” and “What is your favorite childhood memory?”
Grandparents would love to reminisce and share about their own childhood to their grand-kids. Kids, on the other hand, will learn life lessons from their parents’ parents. It’s a win-win situation!
Invite them to your family’s celebrations
Grandparents have time in their hands when they are already retired. Invite them to your family’s special occasions, especially birthdays and school programs, to make them a real part of your children’s lives.
Oftentimes, we are busy leading our own lives that we neglect to think of our parents who have been such a big part of our growing up years. Don’t exclude them in your family life and show your children how much you value your own parents.
Grandparents deserve to know and have a relationship with their grandchildren.
