Sociologists and experts believe that there is a very special relationship between grandparents and their grandchildren, which is second only to the relationship of a parent and child. When parents bring these two generations together, it is often to build another bond of emotional relationship and to involve both of them in their lives for mutual benefit.

When grandparents interact closely with their grandchildren, the latter are much happier than those children who do not have this beneficial experience. It is believed that children who do not have the opportunity of interacting with their grandchildren are prone to depression.  

Reasons Why grandchildren Need Grandparents

Here are seven reasons why grandchildren need to have their grandparents in their lives:

1: Children with grandparents are happier:

Grandparents who are a definite part of their grandchildren’s lives are happier than their counterparts who live away from their grandparents. This relationship brings about a positive impact on the grandchildren’s happiness and overall well-being. Grandchildren who share a close relationship with their grandparents do better at school, have a good self-esteem and are better emotionally adjusted, besides making and maintaining friends better than others.

2: Grandparents instill life values in their grandchildren:

Children who have a  close relationship with their grandparents develop positive values like kindness, patience and honesty. Grandparents develop good social traits in their grandchildren and teach little ones to care for their parents.

Though parents do their best to instill moral values in their children, yet the lessons grandparents teach their grandchildren are deeper and go a much longer way than what their parents teach. This is because the wisdom that these seniors glean after so many years of life and hard work is no match to what parents learn, who are trying to do their best to face competition at work and the demands of a demanding society.

Since grandparents do not have the pressure of taking care of a family or being its breadwinner, they can instill values in the minds of their grandchildren through stories, anecdotes and bits of advice which will help shape his thoughts and personality. The more time grandchildren spend with their grandparents, they will learn valuable life lessons that will help them in life’s journey.

3: Grandparents are the link to the past:

Every child wants to know his roots–something that a grandparent can easily talk about. In fact, grandparents can teach their grandchildren about the family history. This gives the child a feeling of belonging and rootedness.  

4: Grandparents love selflessly:

Grandparents love their grandchildren selflessly, so they can spend as much time as they have to be loving and affectionate to them. This bond of love becomes very strong with time and goes much deeper than one can imagine.   

5: Grandparents deal with parenting grandchildren very well:

When children have tantrums or difficult moods, it can be very trying for parents to deal with. At such times, parents need to be firm in their decisions so that the child is well-disciplined. As a parent, you might do this to set some rules, but this can affect your child and hurt him in the long run. In time, he may forget about his tantrums, but whenever you try to discipline him, it could be heartbreaking for him. In such trying times, he will always need a backup to fill up this gap. Only grandparents can fill this gap. Consider the unlimited times when a child goes crying and whining to his grandparents asking for solace and justice for some wrongdoing against him. Grandparents can quieten him and reason out his actions affectionately and gently.

6: Grandparents are always there for grandchildren:

Parents can be strict disciplinarians and will not listen to a child’s tantrums, but a child needs attention and love in all his growing years. When children move a step backwards from a child in tantrums, grandparents, step in to take care of  whining kids. Let grandchildren complain all he wants to his grandparents, they will give him the attention he needs. It is also known that when a child doesn’t receive love, he turns aggressive.

7: Grandparents let children live a stress-free life:

When grandchildren fall asleep in their grandparents’ home, a child feels he’s in the right place where he’s loved. There’s peace and security in this home, which gives him the confidence to remain here.

Parents might have a lot on their plate, juggling home and career, so it’s obvious that they can be short-tempered and impatient. This leaves them with no time to understand their children well. Grandparents, however, don’t have such obligations and can do all that parents want to do but haven’t the time. For this reason, grandchildren always need grandparents in their lives.