4 Ways To Guarantee A Strong Grandparent-Grandchild Relationship
Your relationship with your grandchildren is as important as with your children. To make sure that maintain a strong, meaningful relationship with your grandkids, there are some things that you should consider. This is especially true when they’re in their teenager years and forming lifetime friendships and relationships.
Follow these 4 easy ways to help guarantee a “intergenerational solidarity” between you and your grandchildren:
Frequency of Communication
It only makes sense that the more people communicate with each other, the better their relationship will be. This is especially true if you don’t live close to your grandchildren. Make sure to call at least once a week and ask what’s been going on with their life. You could also go the extra mile and learn social media to keep in touch with them more often.
Physical Proximity
It’s no surprise that people who see each other often develop a stronger bond. The young ones are assured that they can see you and run to you easily whenever they need to, meaning they trust you and that they have someone close by to rely on at any given time.
For some grandparents, this may be a problem, especially those who live far away or are not fit enough to travel often. While there is no substitute for face to face interaction, modern technology allows for constant communication – use Facetime, Facebook Messenger, Skype or any video chat platform.
Early Emotional Bonding
Children are naturally close to their parents and siblings. Aunts, uncles and grandparents usually occupy the second circle. As kids grow, their circles expand and they develop vital relationships with their peers. On the other hand, older people’s circles grow smaller.
According to experts, those who establish early emotional bonds with their grandchildren will find that the strong bond will last to adulthood.
Shared values
Children are more likely to see you as a lasting important figure in his life when they learn life-long lessons from you – lessons that shape who they are when they’re young and ones that help them develop to who they are today. Teach your grandchildren your values and beliefs, but don’t impose them when they’re older and develop their own set of values.
To avoid a generation gap, be open and learn to listen to the younger generation.
The key is to develop a strong bond right from the start and doing your part to maintain a healthy relationship. Follow these 4 ways to guarantee a strong grandparent-grandchild relationship!