It pays to ask first if parents want your suggestion. Instead of reacting defensively, learn why your children do things a different way. Listen to what parents say, and keep an open mind. This can be particularly harmful when done in front of your grandchildren. Criticizing or judging the way parents handle a situation can undermine their authority. Good communication and problem-solving skills are keys to healthy family relations. "Parents delegate authority to the grandparent, not the other way around." Open communication Lane Tanner, M.D., associate clinical professor of pediatrics at the University of California-San Francisco. "The grandparent's role is not to challenge but to fit in with the family culture," says J. So who's in charge, the parent or grandparent? Experts say it's the parent's job to parent unless grandparents are told otherwise. "Learning to handle family conflict is an important part of good grandparenting." "Today's grandparents are an important resource for parents and grandchildren," says Amy Goyer, coordinator of AARP's Grandparent Information Center. But when it comes to disciplining grandchildren or disagreeing with parents, tensions can run high. Whether you're caring for your children's children after school, on weekends or during holidays, being a grandparent can be rewarding and satisfying. He insisted he be allowed to stay up past 10 p.m., because that was his bedtime at home. On a weekend sleepover at his grandparents' house, 8-year-old Zack refused to go to bed. When Sophie, a loving grandmother of two, complained to her adult son in front of the children that he was being too lenient with the boys, she was told to stop interfering.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |