{"id":32353,"date":"2022-08-31T12:12:06","date_gmt":"2022-08-31T12:12:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/ftf\/?post_type=first-things&p=32353"},"modified":"2023-01-15T22:51:18","modified_gmt":"2023-01-15T22:51:18","slug":"5-things-grandparents-do-for-young-children","status":"publish","type":"first-things","link":"https:\/\/www.ftf-stg.magnetry.com\/es\/first-things\/5-things-grandparents-do-for-young-children\/","title":{"rendered":"5 things grandparents do for young children"},"content":{"rendered":"

Grandparents can play many important roles in the lives of their beloved young children. Depending on how far away they live and other circumstances, they can be caregivers, teachers and playmates. They are trusted advisors for their adult children who are now parents themselves. For many families, grandparents provide regular child care. In some cases, they are primary caregivers to their grandkids. And whether they live nearby or stay in touch from afar, the love and emotional closeness that grandparents provide makes a big, positive impact on their grandchild\u2019s healthy development.<\/p>\n

All of these roles are important, and there are many more special things grandparents do for their little ones, but here are five to be celebrated:<\/p>\n

\"grandmother1. Grandparents give advice.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Being the parent of a baby or toddler is a joy, but it\u2019s not always easy. Especially for new parents. And little ones grow and develop so fast that parenting routines that work one day may not the next. When in doubt, parents often go online for answers. But the sources of parenting information they trust the most are their own parents (usually their mothers or mothers-in-law), more than friends, pediatricians or websites.<\/p>\n

The lived experience and wisdom of grandparents can be especially helpful and calming in moments of parental frustration or panic.<\/p>\n

Of course, some advice from grandma or grandpa may not align with what we now know about child development \u2014 like whether or not you can spoil a baby<\/a> \u2014 but their intuition and long-term perspective can be comforting to a parent who isn\u2019t sure what to do sometimes and doesn\u2019t want to make mistakes. Grandparents know that there\u2019s no such thing as a perfect parent.<\/p>\n

\"grandmother2. Grandparents teach young children.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Grandparents can bring a special enthusiasm to the time they spend with their little ones, and that helps a child learn and grow. They help children learn by playing, talking and reading together while giving them focused attention. And they teach more directly by telling stories and sharing family and cultural traditions. Grandparents are also in a unique position to reinforce limits and lessons from parents while also listening, wiping away tears and showing their grandchild that they understand.<\/p>\n

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