Grandparents raising grandchildren while parents work is a very common situation in our times. A task with challenges and responsibilities that we must value.
Grandparents are defined as “a graft between a father, a friend and a teacher” because they have become the main companions of the raising of the grandchildren, in a society where mom and dad must go to work.
In most cases, they are grandparents still very young, which is an advantage for the task of parenting, but they have every right to refuse if their physical or mental condition is not allowed.
Grandparents raising grandchildren, assume their role in a very serious way, even make sacrifices like getting up early to get home early and assume their role with all the love and dedication of the world. Commitments like this must be highly valued.
Cohabitation agreements for grandparents raising grandchildren
Grandparents raising grandchildren must understand the family dynamics of their children and respect the cohabitation agreements, tasks, routines and previously established activities. At no time can they go beyond the efforts of parents to maintain a humanized upbringing.
However, if grandparents find a home without order or without cohabitation agreements, they will be forced to set their own rules. At this point it should be clear that it is not their responsibility to do what parents have neglected in raising their children.
Nor can we ignore conflicts with grandparents when their arguments are based on experience: “In my time things were like this.” In this case, it is important to respect their ideas, but in turn to confront them in a respectful and fair way when it is necessary.
Grandparents and grandchildren a magical relationship
There is a magical relationship between grandparents and grandchildren, born of this generational ecstasy, where the grandfather is proud to see his son or daughter, educating in the same way they did.
It is a spontaneous relationship, where the grandchildren have the possibility of knowing familiar histories and anecdotes. The grandparents transmit the ancestral knowledge, they are repositories of the cultural tradition.
Grandparents raising grandchildren build a unique and loving trust, but never as an instrument to distort the management of parents. They should be discreet mediators and conciliators of opinions in the family dynamics, exercise a serene and benevolent firmness and adequately combine the
Understanding, affection, discretion, fairness and love.
Its main function is to accompany the grandchildren in their process of growth and development; To achieve the construction of their self-esteem, creativity, autonomy, solidarity, health and happiness.
Do not forget to recognize that children also contribute to the grandparents: Joy, happiness, love, feeling useful and desires to live. This is medicinal for them.
Grandparents raising grandchildren should avoid overprotection, over-demands and dominance. The grandchildren, in turn, should welcome them, respect them and love them as they are sacred and are part of a unique and unrepeatable experience that will leave a mark forever in their lives.
