Bonding with Grandparents

Newspaper article

A few days ago, newspapers, radio stations, and news channels all around the world shared a magical piece of news. The whole world’s wait for forty days has come to an end. The four kids, including an eleven-month-old who went missing in the Amazon rainforests after a small plane crash, were found alive.

Reading through the detailed report, I was caught up at one point. All these days, the kids who belong to the indigenous Huitoto group were traveling continuously, 13 years old being the eldest. How did they survive, what came to their rescue? The answer might be surprising. How to identify edible food from the available items and the knowledge about the forest in general – The lessons from their dear Grandma.

Bonding with Grandparents

Gabriel Garcia Marquez once said, “My grandfather took me wherever he went. He passed away when I was seven. Nothing happened in my life after that.” Communicating with our children: What is our position? Where do we stand? The question is to everyone, to self. The majority of us have been growing up with our grandparents. We learned a lot each passing day from their conversations with others, their talks with themselves, and so on.

Keep aside the seeds of moral values they sow within. Children keep on talking and if there is one person who is there to listen to their amateur talks and respond, then that will add a lot to their healthy growth and development.

Also Read: How to Communicate with your Newborn Baby?

Modern times, No time?

I hear you, who has all this time? An ordinary working day for a parent involves 8 hours of work, travel time, household chores, help with school work, and preparation for the next day. But it is different with our elderly parents. Grandparents still have more leisure time in their baskets, after their own me-time. Yes, most of us do not live in a joint family anymore. But we can surely set up a bonding time during holidays/school vacations. Times are changing but certain matters can be kept unchanged. The decision is yours.

Kids are bonded with grandparents with those beautiful invisible chords, a little different from the one with their parents, magical in a different way. When we don’t get more time to spend with our parents, let our children go, fill the space, and take back love and hugs more than they give. And above all, let them enjoy the feeling of holding the treasure within them, the bunch of memories that lie buried for years and may come out in the most unlikely moments in their life. People love surprises, don’t they?

I skimmed through another newspaper article about the rescue. “Grandfather of the kids says that they are all well aware of the forest and have been taught hunting and fishing in their early childhood.”

Perhaps our kids need to reignite the bond with nature as well as their grandparents. Here are some ways to encourage your kids to bond with their grandparents.

How to encourage your kids to bond with their Grandparents?

1. Regular visits. If you stay far, plan vacations.
2. Keep the grandparents updated about your kids’ milestones and achievements.
3. Take advantage of technology and set up video calls.
4. Eating out.

5. Let your kid help their grandparents with their regular chores.

6. Ask the grandparents about their family history and childhood memories.

7. Plan a day out with your extended family (or sleepovers).