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The first time hearing the long awaited words “grandma,”
or “grandpa” from cherub lips all will make your
heart melt with pride, joy, and love.
 On
Becoming a Grandparent
Whether you live a great distance away, a few towns over,
or just around the block, you can have a very positive impact
on your grandchild’s life, become an important role
model, and be of great help to your daughter or son –
new in their role as a parent.
First Things First…the New Parents
To ensure that things get off to a good start it is important
to consider the following: How much help and advice is too
much? After all, you don’t want to overwhelm new parents,
not yet comfortable or confident in their new role as parents.
Or make it appear as though you question their competence.
To avoid possible offense, it might be best to offer advice
sparingly, except when specifically asked. Once the new
parents understand that your motive is genuine, and not
because you think they are not doing a good enough job,
they will relax and better appreciate your unique role as
grandparent.
It is also a good idea not to criticize the efforts of
your child in their role as parent – or the efforts
of their spouse. Unless the child’s safety, health,
or emotional well-being is at risk, at which time helpful
suggestions instead of pointed criticism will produce better
results. Remember, your goal is to help create a happy and
loving environment for your grandchild, not one marred by
hurt or resentment.
That aside, let’s looks at the many positive ways you
can add to the quality of your life and that of your grandchild,
at the same time benefiting the lives of others involved.
Building a Special Bond with Your Grandchild
As a grandparent, you have the golden opportunity to play
a very important and positive role in their life –
now, and in years to come.
If you live nearby, one way to spend quality time with
your grandchild is to baby sit, as time and health permit.
This not only provides you precious moments alone with your
grandchild, but new parents benefit from time off by themselves.
It is healthy for parents to take a “breather”
every now and then, and what better person to care for the
baby than you, the grandparent?
Babies love to be rocked. They also enjoy pleasing sounds;
singing softly is soothing to a baby, and creates a sense
of contentment. The more you talk and sing to your grandchild,
the quicker they will learn the sound of your voice, the
sooner they respond with gurgles and giggles every time
you enter the room.
 The
Joys of Reading
Toddlers and young children love to be read to. Snuggling
down in a chair with your grandchild, reading, laughing,
and giggling together builds a closer bond between you and
your grandchild. It also helps the child develop listening,
reasoning, and language skills.
Select interesting, age-appropriate stories, ones with
plenty of bright, colorful pictures. Choose stories that
stress good moral values, and teach life-lessons. After
reading the story, ask your grandchild questions about the
story; discuss what happened, what the character did or
did not do, and why.
Educators frequently emphasize the importance of the first
three years of a child’s life. The size of their brain
grows 90%, new skills are learned, and their unique personality
blossoms.
Engaging a young child in conversation encourages
them to share their thoughts and feelings. Reading to them
piques interest in literary works early in life. Both facilitate
good communication and socialization skills.
Long-Distance Grand Parenting
Even if you live a great distance away you can still have
a big impact on your grandchild’s life. Precious moments
visiting back and forth will feel all too short; but such
visits will be precious and time spent together remembered
with fondness.
When grandchildren do visit, lots of hugs and planning
a special activity together is important. A trip to the
park or playground, playing a game, sharing a banana split
at an ice cream shop all offer the opportunity to talk and
share; filling in the missing months or years between visits.
Distant grandparents can also take advantage of modern
technology; the Internet, fax machines, and telephones.
Cell phones – especially those that allow the exchange
of pictures – are great and help bridge the miles.
E-mailing pictures and messages over the Internet is an
inexpensive, convenient, and fun way to maintain daily contact.
Computer programs that allow voice messages and digital
cameras for on-the-spot photo sharing enhance exchanges
and are the next best thing to actually being there.
At Savvy-Baby-Gear.com, we know that grandparents have
the potential to impact their grandchildren’s lives
in very tangible ways. They also have a marvelous opportunity
to teach grandchildren about family history; linking the
past with the present, giving that child a deep sense of
belonging.
©2006 Lori S. Anton, editor Savvy-Baby-Gear.com
Lori S. Anton has been a published writer
for nearly 30 years. She is founder and editor of Writers
Write Now, offering original professionally written SEO
custom content, quick content, and free content for web
sites.
Lori is also editor for the Savvy Baby Gear
web site at http://www.savvy-baby-gear.com,
your one-stop shop for everything today’s parents of
infants need: clothes, educational and fun toys and activities,
care and safety products, clothing, nursery supplies, and
educational aids for mom and dad. Visit Savvy
Baby Gear - essentials for happy babies and parents.
© Lori S. Anton Savvy Pet Editor |
