The 10 Best Things About Being a Grandparent
After your children grow up and leave home, life changes. The family ‘nest’ is no longer full, and your focus shifts away from that of a full-time parent. For many mums and dads, this is the period when ‘empty nest syndrome’ begins, and it can be a challenge adapting to an unfamiliar lifestyle.
For many, the nest isn’t empty for too long. In only a few short years, your adult children may start getting married and having children of their own, refilling the nest with precious little babies. Now, you’re stepping forward into a new role. Your family is growing again, and you’re taking on a fresh title---that of the grandparent.
Welcome to grandparenthood, what many will claim is the best time of their life. If you’re already a proud grandparent, you’ll be familiar with the great things that make up this role. If you’re about to become a grandparent for the first time, you’re likely filled with anticipation at what’s to come. This is a beautiful time in your life, not only because you’ll have gorgeous grandchildren to love and spoil, but because being a grandparent brings with it numerous other benefits. While there are probably too many to count, we’ve handpicked 10 of the best.
1. Watching your family grow from near and far
There’s something incredible about witnessing the growth and expansion of your family. On one hand, you’re observing the continuation of your ancestral line. This alone is a fascinating and special element. Without a doubt, we humans have an inborn nature to see our genes passed down through the generations. Watching it happen right in front of you is a real privilege, however thanks to technology, you’ll never miss a beat even if you can’t be physically present.
As a grandparent, you can stand back and watch the future unfold in front of you. As your grandchildren enter the world, it’s thrilling to watch them grow, seeing which relatives they might resemble and discovering what type of people they will become as individuals. Noticing the similarities between your own children and their children is a particularly enjoyable aspect. Watch for those little quirks within your grandchildren: a style of laughter, favour towards certain foods, or simply a familiar temperament. Many grandparents are amazed when they see just how much history seems to repeat itself!
Thanks to the digital era, grandparents can stay up to date regardless of their whereabouts. Whether you live 10 minutes away or in another country, you’ll experience the pleasure of receiving photos, messages or video calls on the regular. Thankfully, you now have access to a multitude of apps that are designed for families to speak with each other and share photos with ease.
2. Unconditional love, without the responsibilities
Both as a parent and as a grandparent, you’re sure to feel insurmountable love for your offspring. While parenting is a balance between care and guidance, grandparenting is somewhat different. You get to enjoy the unconditional love of your grandchildren without having to shoulder the responsibilities allotted to parents. Of course, you’ve already paid those dues when raising your own children!
Those with grandbabies will cheer in agreement when we mention the words “no nappies!” As a grandparent, you get a free pass for dealing with all the less-enjoyable aspects of rearing babies. Sure, you might change the occasional nappy, especially if you’re babysitting for an evening, but on the whole, you are absolved of these unpleasant responsibilities. This is one thing that makes being a grandparent such great fun.
Of course, it’s more than just that. As a grandmother or grandfather, you are able to spend more time loving your grandkids, rather than raising them. While parents look to ensure their children develop good manners, self-control and respect, grandparents can take their focus off responsibilities, discipline and chores.
Grandkids come over to eat cookies and go on outings, and grandparents get to pour out the love and simply enjoy their quality time together.
3. Children can re-energise you
It’s common to become a first-time grandparent in your 50s or 60s. For many, these are thriving years, but they are a time when energy levels can begin to wane. You may not feel as active or energetic as you were in your 20s and 30s, but when the grandkids arrive, you’ll feel revitalised.
Kids energise those around them. With their boundless enthusiasm and zest for life, you can’t help but be swept into the chaos. Experts often say that children keep us young, and there’s a great deal of truth to that statement. You may not be able to run and play with them for hours on end, but nonetheless, children can be a positive influence. They’ll remind you of what it means to be children; to be carefree and curious, to explore without hesitation or self-consciousness. Spending time with your grandkids offers a wonderful reminder of the pleasures of life.
4. Creating new memories
The memories your grandchildren make with you will be cherished for their entire lifetime, and of course, the feeling is mutual. Your new role as a grandparent comes with ample opportunities to create memories in new ways that weren’t possible during the years you raised your children. You can create video diaries, design a digital scrapbook, cookbook or family tree. You can also tap into tradition and show your grandkids how fun it can be to create an old-fashioned scrapbook filled with photos and tangible items that are significant to certain moments or events. Read more about how life changes after retirement.
5. A focus on the fun
Daily life brings with it a to-do list, but this isn’t the case at grandma’s! It’s all about having fun. When your grandkids visit, there aren’t any dentist appointments to attend, chores to be done or day-to-day necessities. These are left to their parents, meaning your time spent with them can be focussed completely on having a great time and doing activities that bring joy.
There are also many opportunities for one-on-one time with your grandkids. You may not have had the same chances when you were a parent living under one roof. However, as a grandparent, you might have the pleasure of caring for one grandchild at a time. This means they get a day of spoiling and adventure---what grandkid doesn’t love that?!
6. You become a valuable resource to your family
Being a grandparent is not just about your beautiful grandkids, it’s about your own children too. There’s nothing that compares to the magic of watching your children turn into loving, caring parents. For many grandparents, this period brings about a sense of pride. You can feel secure knowing you did an amazing job raising your kids, as you see them doing the same with their own children.
Passing down parenting knowledge is a treasure too and your children will be eternally grateful for the tips and reassurance you can pass on. Go easy, though, as your kids are probably anxious to figure things out for themselves. Still, the occasional helpful suggestion will be a welcome touch.
If you’re lucky enough to live close by, you’re only a phone call away when your children and grandchildren need you most. Having the power to ease your child’s worries or relieve a little stress is heartwarming.
7. Sharing stories and old photos
It’s something of a requirement for grandparents to tell stories, and you’ll surely have fabulous tales to share.
The older generation grew up in a vastly different era, so don’t be afraid to tell your grandkids about what life was like when you were a child. Chances are, they’ll be fascinated by the way the world has changed. They may not even believe you when you tell them that phones used to have cords!
You may not be able to scroll back into your digital archives to uncover photos of when you and your children were young, however that’s what makes this experience even more special. Sharing memories and spending time looking through old photo albums is a pastime that’s becoming less common, but nonetheless adored by every member of the family. Looking at photos and sharing stories allows you to provide an understanding of family history, and encourages the younger generations to learn about their heritage and roots.
As a grandparent, telling stories can be great fun, but it’s not every day you have a willing audience. Passing down family traditions and tales can be a lovely way to forge an intergenerational bond, and you never know how your wisdom will impact your grandkids.
8. Experiencing the ‘firsts’
The first smiles, giggles, waves and steps are the small things you’ll never forget. Having already experienced those firsts with your own children, you can truly bask in the beauty of these moments, knowing just how precious they are.
As a grandparent, you’ve come to realise just how quickly time goes by and you’ll never take moments like those for granted.
While you may not be present for every single ‘first’, your tech-savvy children will likely capture much of the joy on camera, so you can re-watch with a cup of tea and truly soak up the special moments.
9. The financial situation is different...and usually better
You’ve worked hard throughout your life and by the time you become a grandparent, it’s probable that you’re enjoying the rewards of your labour. This means that grandparents are generally in better financial situations than they were as young parents. More importantly, this means that the money spent on grandchildren is ‘fun money.’ Instead of paying for piano lessons, new shoes or other essentials, grandparents can use their money to spoil the little ones. This means holidays, trips to theme parks, cinema tickets, new toys….virtually anything. With money to spare, it’s a pleasure to spend it on those you love so much, and especially to spend it on something that will bring them enormous joy.
10. Becoming a teacher
There are certain lessons that children can only learn from their grandparents! Skills such as cooking, sewing, woodwork, card games and gardening are often taught by grandparents, who have more spare time and patience. Not only are your grandchildren learning, but you’re keeping traditions alive and helping them develop skills that may be skipped in school or a busy household.
You’ll also be surprised at what your grandchildren will teach you! Whether it’s an online game or how to take a photo with a fun filter, there are many small ways kids can show you how to embrace the digital culture. Unless of course, you’re more addicted to smartphones than your grandkids!
The connection between a grandparent and a grandchild is unique and meaningful. It is a relationship that differs from that of parent and child and takes on its own special shine. Nothing can compare to this kind of relationship, and every grandparent will surely agree that their grandkids have changed their lives.
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