How Grandparents Can Influence the Upbringing of a Child?
According to the 2010 United States Census, approximately seven percent of minors live with their grandparents. The reasons why vary. Maybe the biological parents and grandparents came to a mutual understanding that they would co-raise a child. Perhaps it’s due to a busy out-of-home life that requires help raising kids. Or God forbid, there was some sort of tragedy to a child’s biological parents that forced the grandparents to step in. In any situation, there are some definitive benefits to being raised by a grandparent. As some very successful people, ranging to Oprah Winfrey to Maya Angelou and Carol Burnett, could tell you, here are some of those benefits.
The Value of Hard Work
While the numbers shrinks by the year, many living grandparents were raised or affected by the Great Depression early in the 20th Century. Therefore, that generation knows who to make something out of very little. They have values such as hard work, and never getting anything handed to you will likely rub off naturally. This implements a healthy environment where integrity, honesty, and perseverance becomes ingrained.
How Grandparents Influence the Upbringing of a Child
Involvement in Grandchildren’s Passions
With the majority of grandparents and senior citizens being retired and without having a 40-hour work week to worry about, grandparents are able to dive into their grandchildren’s interests. Should they choose and are physically and mentally able to do so, of course. Whether it is attending sporting events or performances, or possibly even establishing a more “at-home” hobby together such as arts and crafts, cooking, or woodworking, it creates a strong bond at a very early age. This way, a grandchild will see his or her grandparent as more than just a “relative,” but a friend, partner, and confidant.
Their Own Experience
Simply put: grandparents have been through the ringer of child-rearing before. They know what worked, what didn’t work, what they would do differently. So when they get another chance, you can bet they’re going to want to capitalize on it. Plus, the child-biological parent is different than the child-grandparent dynamic. So, grandparents will likely be more cautious about safety, education, and things of that nature, while still executing that balance of firmness and authority that is necessary when raising a child.
Nonetheless, make sure your young ones respect their elders. Directly or indirectly, they’re likely to have an effect on a kid’s upbringing.
