Living with Your Grandparents: Benefits for Kids

Show me a child that doesn\’t like being pampered with love and attention. There is none and who does the pampering better than grandparents? Every parent looks forward to seeing their grandchildren maybe that is why most grandparents can deal with the whining of babies and toddlers.

While some children live with their grandparents due to circumstances beyond their control, others live with them because the grandparents moved in with their parents. Living with grandparents has its benefits.

Reasons, why children live with grandparents, are many. Some are unavoidable

• The death of either of both parents of a child
• The child was given birth to by young parents who were not ready to raise the child
• The parents could be sick
• The grandparents want their grandchild to stay with them
• The grandparent is sick and needs to move in with the children
• The grandparent moved in to help the family
• A grandparent is relocating from one either a state or country.

Benefits of living with Grandparents:

• You have additional adult supervision for your children
• With someone to look at the kids with an elders\’ eye, you have more time to do other things.
• The children enjoy more attention and care which you as a parent might be tired to give after being exhausted from the day\’s responsibility.
• Grandparents can help the children learn new skills, help them with reading and their homework.
• Who better to teach the children history and take them back in time than grandparents.
• Sometimes children feel more relaxed sharing their thoughts and worries with the grandparents than their parents. You would prefer that than them talking to their inexperienced friends.

How Parents can help their Kids living with their grandparents

1. Teach your children to respect their grandparents. Children tend to test their grandparents\’ patience when allowed
2. Let your children know that it is responsible to make it a part of their daily routine to help with the chores at home.
3. Let them check with them their grandparents as they would check with their parents before making decisions like bringing your friends over, leaving the house.
4. The children should be taught that their grandparents should be involved in whatever is happening in their school activities. They are the ones looking after them and looking out for them.
5. Don\’t become a handful sucking up all their time and keeping them worried. They don\’t have the strength of youth. They spent that raising your parents. Is a statement they need to hear regularly.

What to do if your grandparents live with you

• Make them feel welcome and at home. Don\’t make them feel like they encroached on your space
• Keep the house tidy and free from litters.
• Children don\’t go around snooping around granny\’s and grandpa\’s things. Ask their permission before touching their things.
• Your grandparents like the company which parents are not available to give. Children spend time chatting and having fun with them.
• Never be rude to them. Never insult them
• Parents should help grandparents and grandchildren have bonding time and activities. A time to share family stories.

Whether you are living with your grandparents or they are living with you, make use of the opportunity to enjoy every moment with them. You won\’t have them around forever.