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5 Things Grandparents Should Bring Up to Parents

Date: October 27, 2018
Author: Erynn
Categories: Stories & Tips
10 Easy Ways to Reduce Stress in Seniors

There is no greater joy of being a grandparent than spending time with your grandkids. If you spend a lot of time with your grandkids, there may be a variety of things you want to bring up to their parents. You should be careful though.

5 Things Grandparents Should Bring Up to Parents

5 Things Grandparents Should Bring Up to Parents

 

It’s usually best to let the parents do the parenting. It can be tempting to share your decades of experience raising kids . But, each parent/child relationship is different.

Though, there are 5 things you should bring up to parents.

1. Respect

You need to set boundaries with your grandchild to make sure they respect you. If the child repeatedly ignores those boundaries, you should bring it up to the parents.

Let them do the punishing, but don’t be afraid to say, “That’s not how you talk to me.”

2. Developmental Concerns

You may notice something about your grandchild that the parents haven’t. If there are any speech delays, motor function problems, or lack of social skills, you should bring it up.

There’s nothing wrong with sharing your concern. Just make sure you do it respectfully.

3. Safety

It’s important to bring up any safety concerns to the parents. See how far they want to go with things like crossing the street or wearing a helmet.

See if you can set your own safety rules at your house if you don’t agree with what the parents want. Then you can say, “Everyone wears a helmet at Granny’s,” and that sort of thing.

4. Food

Everyone wants their kids to grow up happy and healthy, but you can’t control what they eat outside of your home. Feel free to serve all the veggies you want at your home, just make sure that the parents are okay with it.

If you really are concerned about your grandchild’s health, you should bring it up to the parents. Again, just be respectful.

5. The Important Stuff

You need to talk to the parents immediately if you notice any physical or sexual abuse, neglect, substance abuse by a parent, or any harm that could come to your grandchild.

Safety is the priority. If you have to, call your local police department or Child Protective Services.

Read more here.

Grandparents Who Babysit are Less Likely to Have Dementia

Date: April 15, 2018
Author: Erynn
Categories: Stories & Tips
Grandparents Who Babysit are Less Likely to Have Dementia

Time to call the grandchildren! Research published in the journal of the North American Menopause Society found that grandparents who babysit are less likely to have dementia or Alzheimer’s.

Grandparents Who Babysit are Less Likely to Have Dementia

Grandparents Who Babysit are Less Likely to Have Dementia

 

The study found that grandparents who babysat once a week scored higher on cognitive tests verses those who didn’t. But don’t go offering to babysit everyday. It also found that grandparents who babysat five or more days a week scored lower on the tests.

Being Social is Key

 

This is one of many tests showing that being social is key for seniors to have a healthy lifestyle. Grandchildren are a great resource because not only do they provide social interaction, but they also encourage cognitive and physical activities, making grandparents alert and active.

Read more here.

The Bond Between Grandparents and Grandchildren

Date: February 11, 2018
Author: Erynn
Categories: Stories & Tips
The Bond Between Grandparents and Grandchildren

The bond between grandparents and grandchildren is precious. Not only do grandparents spoil and play with their grandchildren, but they may also be influencing them in ways no one thought of. A study shows that kids who spend time with their grandparents are less likely to have ageist views towards the elderly.

The Bond Between Grandparents and Grandchildren

 

The Bond Between Grandparents and Grandchildren

 

The study, done in Belgium, asked 1,151 young people ranging in age from 7 to 16-years-old about their time with their grandparents. Then the researchers asked about the kids’ views on aging and the elderly. The researchers found that kids who visited with their grandparents weekly, described their time with their grandparents as pleasant and had less ageist views.

Previous research showed that it was quality, not quantity, of visits was what affected the participants’ views. Though that test was done with university students instead of children.

The children were very open about their relationship with their grandparents and were surprised about the ageism that appeared in the questionaries. The study found that the amount of prejudice changed with the kids’ ages. 7-9-year-olds had the most negative view, while 10-12-year-olds were the most tolerant.

Teenagers also had prejudices, but still not as much as the youngest children. Of course, the grandparent’s health might have influenced the children’s views. Kids who were exposed to their grandparents having poor health, had more stereotypes of the elderly, than kids who had healthy grandparents.

Overall, the study found that both quality and quantity of the visits influence kids and their views on aging. Being exposed to other older people make the idea of aging less strange. Plus, kids can bring positive energy to the grandparents and get them up and moving.

Read more about the study here.