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Grandparent Acknowledgement ... and Thanks!
Topics: grandparents, grandchildren, school, divorce, daycare
Posted by WalMcC Mon Sep 29, 2008 13:21:15 PDT
Viewed 355 times
0 responses 0 comments Location: 93312

Nothing changes your relationship with your parents like having children of your own.  Most parents decide that the "idiot" you married is OK, and maybe even brilliant after all, when you let them transition to becoming a grandparent. 

The parent you had that raised you on a breakfast of day old donuts now allows the grandkids to eat all the marshmallows out of the Lucky Charms before making them bacon, eggs, toast and fresh melon that the grandkids may only nibble at before joyfully tearing apart their grandparent’s house. 

While this grandparent role of spoiling and indulging their grandchildren has not totally changed it has been modified by the modern divorce rate of around 52%.

Now grandparents must increasingly take on the role of ‘in loco parentis’.  That means if your kids are loco, you get to become parents again.  This time you are acting as a parent for your grandchildren.  With divorce rates, grandparents often become the most stable family guidance in a child’s life. 

It is fortunate for children that parents cannot divorce grandparents.  With so many families composed of “Yours, Mine & Ours” as well as “significant others” some kids can end up with a dozen grandparents of various kinds to supply emotional, fiscal and stability needs.

Grandparents are frequently seen registering kindergarteners.  When a child’s family has only one parent, or when both parents work, grandparents become the chauffeur for all the sports and activities in which children routinely participate.  If the child is not involved, the grandparent is likely to become the “go to” day care provider. 

With so few families living within a budget, grandparents also take on financial responsibilities for their grandchildren.  These responsibilities can range from buying more boxes of Girl Scout cookies than any human really needs, to buying school clothes and saving or helping to pay for college. 

Very few grandparents complain about the hugely expanded role.  Most are just thrilled to be involved in the lives of their grandchildren.  I’m sure for some it is a burden.  The time, energy, money and emotional wear and tear can be significant when raising children … and probably more so when you are raising grandchildren.  Bless you.

For all grandparents who find yourself only in the spoiling indulgent grandparent role, I must congratulate you.  I’m sure there is a parent out their right now telling their kid “No, you can’t eat all the marshmallows out of the Lucky Charms leaving only oat cereal for your sister … and I don’t care what Papa or Grandma said.”
 

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