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Are your boys close to their grandparents?
Not physically close — physical distance is often more a matter of necessity or practicality than choice — but emotionally close. Studies have found that close grandparent/grandchildren relationships protect against depression in both groups, and at least one study out of England found that kids who are close to their grandparents have fewer emotional and behavioral problems and fewer difficulties with peers.
Facilitating the grandparent/grandchild relationship can be tricky. There’s a generation gap. A digital divide. Evolving cultural norms and ever-changing expectations.
“The expectation for grandparents today is way different” than a generation ago, says Emilly Morgan, host of The Grand Life podcast and grandmother to nine (4 boys & 5 girls.). “We still think of grandparents as sitting in rocking chairs, but now they’re running marathons and doing all sorts of creative things, including working.”
It takes some creativity and grace to build relationships between your boys and their grandparents, but effort is worthwhile.
In this episode, Jen, Janet & Emily discuss:
- Bridging the generation gap
- How parents can facilitate the grandparent/grandchild relationship
- Helping grandmas understand grandsons
- Multi-generation households
- Changing expectations of grandparents
- Respecting grandparents’ lives and limitations
- Resolving conflicts re screens, sugar, bedtime, etc.
- Tapping into grandparents’ wisdom and experience
- Family estrangements
- Helping boys understand grandparents’ physical and emotional limitations
- Handling grandparents’ sexism and racism
Links we mentioned (or should have) in this episode:
The Grand Life podcast –– Emily’s podcast (Jen will be a guest on on upcoming episode!)
The Long Distance Grandparent –– blog mentioned at 28:39
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