As a parent, you are likely to have a strong bond with both your own parent and your child, but what about the grandparent–child relationship? Every kid deserves to grow up with a fun, loving, and close relationship with their grandparents, as it provides a part of childhood that they’ll remember forever. Plus, you’ll feel much more at ease leaving your child with them if they are already close! So, bring your family close together with these five ways to improve the grandparent–child bond.
1: Schedule More Visits
The simplest way to encourage a better bond between your parent and your child is to schedule more visits. This usually starts from when your little one is a baby. By bringing your kid around to your parents’ house as often as possible, they are more likely to form a strong relationship in the early days. By doing this, your kid will learn their voice, scent, appearance, and environment early on, which will bring them a form of comfort as they grow older.
One crucial point to remember is to make sure your parents’ house is safe for children to visit; so, cover any sharp corners, hide medications, and keep the cupboards closed.
2: Prioritize Your Parents’ Health
Your parents will have an easier time being grandparents if they are healthy, so prioritize looking after their health before anything else. The care they need will depend on their age, whether they suffer from an illness, and how easily they can get around.
If you are considering a senior living community, Brightview assisted living in Baltimore suggests that you look into the on-site amenities, meal options, and how safe the environment is. After all, your parents deserve the best wherever they live!
3: Teach Your Parents Modern Tech
The chances are your little one is already a wiz at technology, while your elderly parents need a little more practice. To secure the bond between them both, you could take the time to teach your parents more about modern tech. That way, they can message, send pictures, and FaceTime your child throughout the day, which will only strengthen their relationship.
4: Find a Mutual Hobby
What sort of hobbies are your parents into? If they enjoy gardening, for example, then try getting your kid into gardening too, so that they can share an interest. The hobby can be anything—books, painting, walking, science, sports—anything! By having a shared interest, they’ll have more to talk about and experience together.
5: Talk About Them Often
If you are away from your parents often, your little one won’t be used to their presence. As well as using tech, you should also talk about your parents as often as possible, as it will help your child get to know them more. It helps to have plenty of photographs of your parents around the place, too.
When it comes to a strong grandparent–child bond, it is up to you to push it forward, at least in the beginning. So, schedule time together, look after your parents’ health, and encourage mutual hobbies to allow their relationship to blossom.