It has been proved in a survey that 63%grandparents feel that they can do a better job in taking care of their grandchildren than they did with their own kids. Today’s grandparents are more aware, informed and technologically sound. They bridge the gap between knowledge and technology. They have a richer experience, more evolved and more adaptable than their 19th-century counterparts. They are a better guide, role model and influencer to a millennial kid.
Ways grandparents leave a significant impact on our lives
It is a golden opportunity for a grandchild to be raised by loving grandparents
Ways grandparents leave a significant impact on our lives
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- Today’s grandparents are more active
They take more interest in their grandchildren’s’ activities. More and more grandparents are participating in physical activities, like dance, sports, and swimming. They set a good example of how to balance work, activity, school, and other important chores in your daily routine.
- A sense of belonging
They are our connectors to our roots and joins us to our history. They have vast knowledge and are also our only direct link to facts and details of the generation before theirs. Every family has their own legacy and lineage. There are tales of tragedy, heroism, patriotism, in every family. They have lived a life in an era gone by. Their experiences are very insightful, it can carve the thought process of a young adult.
- Keep traditions alive
They keep our traditions, values, and customs alive. They know the stories, know the processes, the traditions, and the virtues. They are the right people to show how things are done. How rituals are followed. How customs are celebrated and what our culture truly is.
- They are a part of history
Grandparents who have lived through wars are our direct source of information on their real-life struggles. Their survival attitudes inspire and motivate their grandchildren. Their victories and triumphs are the reasons for our existence.
- Build our value system
They create our sense of right and wrong. They have stories and incidents to narrate on how good always win over the bad. Their rich experience builds our sensibilities. Nestingdolls.co even says that our concerns and behaviors are like the layers in Matryoshka dolls and our grandparents understand that. We are the biggest dolls and the inner dolls are our experiences. They know that by shaping our experiences and teaching us the right values will make us better people. They teach us patience, good behavior, and kindness. A soft and considerate grandparent nourishes our mind and spirit.
They teach us the right behaviors, gestures, and values. Researchers have commented that almost 9 out of 10 adult grandchildren believe that their grandparents are responsible for their thought process, values and behavior and influence their social life. Research studies also show that a large number of grandparents feels empowered to share the experience and play a role in building the values and morale of their grandchildren.
- Forge a connection between cousins
They form a bond between children in the family. While the parents are all busy running after their own livelihoods, grandparents can create a link between the kids and fill their childhood and growing days with happiness by creating sweet memories. This also nurtures team spirit. The growth of life expectancy has increased gradually, the number of living grandparents are now more than ever, which means more love and more care.
- They are guardians
In integrated households, the grandparents act as a guardian. It is common in countries of Asia where people live in joint families. Grandparents are more involved in their grandchildren’s’ education and extra-curricular activities, while the parents are away.
- Grandparents are caregivers
They have the best intentions for their grandchildren. Grandparents who are well settled and maybe still earning also acts as a primary caregiver. They also help with financial support for education, wellbeing and other needs, apart from constant pampering.
- Help us in social causes
Grandparents also influence us to take a stand for social causes, be it community service, helping elders or participating in volunteering services. They shape our political choices. They help us to be more religiously and spiritually inclined. In church services, prayers groups or Sunday classes, they have a great influence by showing the right directions.
- Their love is irreplaceable
The best part about grandparents is that they love their roles and does it from their heart. They can never be replaced by paid governess or caregivers. They channelize their emotions into the grandchildren’s’ upbringing.
- They can handle crisis
Grandparents are calmer and they are more experienced in handling crisis. They teach the correct life skills which give the grandchildren a better handle in coping with stress and peer pressure. They are the counselor who is watching over the children as they grow through different phases in their childhood.
- A better sense of judgment
They would be able to see through the good and bad companions around the grandchild and can raise the alarm, which sometimes we get complacent about.
- Help us in education
Grandparents sometimes take an active role in education. They fill in the role of a tutor at home. They pay better attention to the child’s need gaps. They are a better judge in the problems that the child is facing or rather can face in the future. They can bridge the gap between home and school by keeping a bond between school teachers.
- Help us learn household chores
Grandparents can also teach us the basic house chores which are needed for our development. Be it cooking, cleaning or just taking care of ourselves. In today’s hectic life, we try to get quick fixes for most solutions, which leaves us with less coping skills is always recommended to develop and harness a set of skills which can come to our use in matters of crisis. Apart from house chores, gardening, pottery, and carpentry are some areas which grandparents can help us learn.
- Help us develop constructive hobbies
Grandparents can also take an active interest in building art and music preferences of their grandchildren. Be it ballet, jazz or simply playing the cello. It is said talent skips a generation, so a grandparent’s creative interest might also interest the grandchild.
Final thoughts
There is no greater joy than to grow up with and around family members who love you. So irrespective whether it is a grandparent or a grand aunt, if kids get exposure around elders in the family, they are bound to learn some good habits which will nurture their future.
