Kinship care and marriage: Raising grandchildren can create marriage difficulties!
By Beth Q. Beck, EdD When grandparents take grandchildren in to raise them, there is a ripple effect throughout nearly every aspect of our lives. It impacts our relationships with the grandchild of course, turning us from doting grandparents to parents. There can be implications with our children and other grandchildren, often increasing rivalries and [...]
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren.
By Beth Q. Beck, EdD “Imagine a 2:30 a.m. phone call from a local law enforcement officer, ‘Can you come and pick up your grandchildren? We have arrested both of their parents for drug involvement. ‘This action has left your three grandchildren, Janet, age 6, and the twins, Michael and Mary, age 2, without a [...]
The How-to of Long Distance Grandparenting
By Carol Hutcheson Not so funny joke A six year old was asked where his grandma lived. He said, “Oh, she lives at the airport and when we want her we just go get her. Then when we are done having her visit we take her back to the airport.: A few years ago, one [...]
6 ways Grandparents Can Help their Children after a Divorce
Provided by Mary Brintnail-Peterson. Ph.d Coping with an adult child’s divorce can be difficult, especially when grandchildren are involved. However, grandparents can take steps to support both their children and grandchildren during this challenging time, according to a University of Wisconsin-Extension program specialist in aging. “Grandparents have to learn new ways to fill the roles, [...]
Hooked on Video Games like our Grandchildren.
By Gary Geyer Everything we warned our grandchildren about is happening to us. Would you believe it, we’re getting hooked on video games. (Well, some of us are). Gray Gamers Oh God. They have a name for us already — Gray Gamers. Don’t worry, I’m sure there’s an explanation. It seems we’re attracted to [...]
Step-Grandparenting:Like Grandparenting, only Different
By The Foundation for Grandparenting An increasing number of grandparents are becoming step-grandparents. A recent study noted that one third of grandparents interviewed had at least one step-grandchild. Most grandparents “acquire” step-grandchildren when their own children re-marry, or when they themselves re-marry. Stepfamilies The Stepfamily Foundation reports that stepfamilies are growing by approximately 50,000 people [...]
How I Overcame my Dread of Becoming a Grandparent.
The Psychological Birth of the Human Grandfather is Sometimes a Complicated Delivery By James W. Lomax, M.D. From the first announcement that Nancy and I were about to become grandparents, there was quite a difference in our responses. Nancy instantly became involved in a variety of “grand-nesting behaviors,” including things she had never done before. [...]
Give Grandchildren Gifts that Connect Generations.
By Carol Hutcheson It’s that time of year again-time to decide what to give the grandkids for Christmas. Now I know some people who start planning for the next Christmas the day after the current Christmas. I am not one of these people. The heat is on after Halloween I start to feel the heat [...]
Who Helps with the New Baby, Baby Nurse or Grandma?
Found on Message board Grandmother-to-be: “My daughter, who lives in NYC, (we are in VA) is hiring a baby nurse for a week or too after the bay is born to assist her w/ in learning how to take care of the baby, someone who will be in the apartment when she needs to walk [...]
How Grandpa can help when a New Baby arrives.
By Carol Hutcheson I was excitedly making preparations to travel out of state to help my youngest daughter with her newborn baby. For me, helping with new grandchildren has been one of the greatest rewards of grandmotherhood. Because of work commitments, my husband wasn’t often available when other grandchildren arrived. But now retired, he didn’t [...]
Traveling With Grandkids
By Carol Hutcheson A growing phenomenon in the United States is intergeneration travel. It is estimated that 15% of the vacations taken last year included grandparents and grandkids.That’s one in seven vacations as estimated by the travel industry. What makes traveling with grandkids so popular? Grandparents see it as a way to cultivate relationships with [...]
Grandparents can Help with Baby Blues & Postpartum Depression
By Deborah R. Flansburg, Certified Nurse Midwife I recently received a call from a mother of one of my patients. Her daughter had delivered her second baby only two weeks earlier. She had seen some behavior changes in her daughter that worried her, and called to ask me questions about postpartum depression. As a parent [...]
Before you go Anywhere with your Grandchildren, Read this.
By Carol Hutcheson 1. Consult the parents It is a good idea to bring the parents into the planning. They will guide you in knowing the children’s medical history, eating preferences, and sleeping needs. They need to give you specific instructions for dispensing medications or handling other medical or emotional problems. 2. Bring a photo [...]
Advice to New Grandparents: 7 ways you can help out
By Carol Hutcheson A new baby, whether the first or the sixth child, is a delightful miracle. Consider yourself blessed indeed if you can be in attendance to help. To make sure that your visit as grandparents to the family will be remembered fondly, consider a few of these pointers. 1. Do It Their Way [...]
