The kids of yesteryear were much different from the kids of today. They had the luxury of company of peers in the form of immediate cousins, aunts and uncles and above all, the grandparents. The kids of yesterday were extroverts, jolly, expressive and playful as compared to kids of today who find it hard to overcome the psychological issues related to loneliness. The kids of yesteryear were well-versed with social values because they were in the company of their grandparents. In our society, grandparents have always been primary caregivers.
Grandchildren used to get more parenting from the grandparents as compared to their own parents. However, with massive transformation taking place in social institutions, and couples preferring to live away from their parents, the grandkids were deprived of the attention and care their older generations received from their grandparents. This deprivation was further aggravated in cases where both of the parents had to go and work leaving kids to nannies or daycare centers. This was basically a western phenomenon which entered our social set-up.
However, now that our grandparents do not have the opportunity to give care to the young ones, the trend in the west is reversing, for multiple reasons.
In western countries today, grandparents are finding themselves primary caregivers for their grandchildren more than ever before. With high divorce rates, growing numbers of teen pregnancies, the spread of diseases like HIV/AIDS, and the prevalence of illegal drug use, many grandparents are thrust into the situation of parenting all over again.
The advisers on retirement planning provide comprehensive consultancy on grandparents parenting. Parenting your adult child and your grandchild at the same time is a delicate situation, but there are few basic pieces of advice that will enable you to navigate it as best you can.
Single parenting and divorce are the most common ways in which a grandparent takes on parenting duties for their grandchildren. When dealing with a divorce situation, it's important to stay outwardly neutral so as to keep things amicable between all of the parties involved. You want what's best for your child and your grandchild, which may mean visits with both the child's parents at separate times. Because authority can become blurred when there are multiple caregivers, setting guidelines for discipline that everyone can agree on is important in maintaining consistency for your grandchild.
If your child is a single parent, your role may be even more active. Be sure to voice any difficulties that may arise in caring for a youngster. Many grandparents who take on parent roles may not be able to keep up with the energy levels of a child. If you're in a position to, consider offering your adult child financial support for adequate childcare.
If you're a grandparent who is raising your grandchild or helping your child in the process, it's easy to forget to take care of yourself. When you're not healthy, support becomes that much harder. More useful than any advice, however, is the love that you give to your grandchild, as feeling important and nurtured greatly increases a child's well-being.
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