Grandparents are kids’ favorite people because grandparents surely love to spoil their grandkids. From grandma’s famous chocolate chip cookies to grandpa’s good old stories, kids love to spend time with their grandparents. However, unfortunately, some grandparents do not know how to act like a grandparent. Maybe because they did not have a good relationship with their kids, or maybe because they are too old to communicate with the young ones.
No matter the reason why you are finding it difficult to bond with your grandkids, you do not need to worry anymore. This article discusses how to be a good grandparent for your grandkids.
Spend Time With Grandkids
Spending time with your grandkids will help you know them better. Try to be more involved in their lives. When your grandkids are not at school or child care Calgary, ask them to come over. Babysitting your grandkids will allow you to interact with them better.
When their parents are not around, kids tend to be more open to communication. When you spend some alone time with them, your fear of not being able to communicate with them will eventually fade away.
Spoil Them – But Only A Little
Grandparents are kids’ favorite because they let them do things that their parents will never allow. For example, eating ice cream for breakfast or eating too much candy. Grandparents try to be more like a friend to their grandkids rather than a parent.
Well this all seems nice and grandparents do it out of love, try not to spoil your grandkids too much because that can cause problems for parents. You should be your grandkid’s trusted persona, however, try not to overshadow their parents.
Try To Avoid Nagging
Remember that you are a grandparent, not a parent, so do not try to be one. Discipline and teaching respect are parents’ responsibilities. Grandparents should not nag their grandkids. Firstly, it will create fear among your grandkids, thus pushing them away from you. Secondly, it makes parents look bad.
If you did not like certain things your grandkids did, you can ask them to stop doing that without sounding like a parent. Remember that kids are afraid of their parents and they will not answer them back, but they surely can answer back to you. So try to avoid being in such situations.
Help Them Learn Something Good
As you grow older, you must have learned a few life skills. Try to transfer your knowledge to your grandkids as well if they are interested. For example, you can take your grandkids fishing and teach them the basics. If you are an expert knitter, teach your granddaughter, or even grandson how to knit, so that they can develop some skills.
Parents are responsible for providing quality education and other experiences for their kids, however, grandparents can help them learn something little extra that is not only fun but also provides you a great opportunity to bond with your grandkid.
Do Not Play Favorites
Playing favorites is a dangerous game. When you are a grandparent, try not to create a difference between your daughter’s kids and your son’s kids. This difference can be deduced easily by the kids and they might act differently towards you.
If you do not want to be a grandparent that grandkids despise, then try to treat everyone equally. If you buy gifts, make sure you buy them of the same quality for everyone. If you are treating someone with love, it should be the same for all others. When you start playing favorites, it can create hatred among kids as well.
Respect The Generational Gap
Now that you have lived your life in simpler times, you should accept the fact that time has changed. A new generation has their ways of living. If something is different, it does not mean that it is wrong. Try to respect the generational gap you have with your grandkids.
If your grandkids want to play video games, it does not mean that it’s bad for them. You had your hobbies at the time that might not go with the traditions. Let your grandkids grow in their time.
Have A Heart-To-Heart With Them
Spending quality time with your grandkids means that you both can connect emotionally as well. Emotional connection is important in a grandparent-grandchild relationship. Most often, kids are afraid of telling their secrets to their parents. However, if they have a good understanding with their grandparents, they can share what ails their heart.
This type of bondage is particularly important in this era as more teenagers are becoming depressed and suicidal. Having someone to talk to can help them with their emotions. So if you want to become a good grandparent, make yourself emotionally available to your grandkids. You might help them in ways you can never imagine.
Do Not Be A Strict Grandparent
Strict grandparents automatically repel their grandkids. If you are trying to be more involved in the grandkid’s life and you want to know everything going on with their lives, then you should make yourself available for communication.
Kids get afraid of strict grandparents. They will never act themselves around them and you will never get to meet your fun-loving grandchild. If you want to have a fun relationship, try to be more goofy and silly around them. Make them feel comfortable around you. When they find you easily approachable, they will have a better relationship with you.
Final Thoughts
Becoming a grandparent is such a wonderful time of life. You get to enjoy all the naughtiness and fun with the kids without feeling responsible for their actions. When you are a grandparent, try to be more involved in your grandkids’ life by visiting them often or asking them to spend time with you. You can create a strong bond with your grandkids by avoiding strictness and nagging and being more emotionally available to them. Let parents be responsible for disciplining them. You try to enjoy more silly and goofy times with your grandkids.
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