Grandparents are a very important part of the family, and especially in recent years due to the changes in society and parents having less and less time for their kids, the role of the grandparents in a child’s life has become greater.

Grandparents are those that provide most of the care for the children in their preschool years, especially when both parents are at work. Grandparents also help with taking care of the kids during holiday time and with picking them up when school ends.

The love of a grandparent for their grandchild is very special. Kids feel safe and comforted by this love, and it is very patient, open-minded, and not as critical as the parents’ love. Grandparents make sure that the kid belongs to the family, which is an important thing during a child’s development, especially in the adolescent years or when the kids usually disagree with their parents.

That’s the reason why the connection between grandparents and their grandchildren is very special, and kids are grateful for the love and support they receive.

Some studies have shown that children who grew up with their grandparents and have a strong relationship with them, tend to be better in school, stay out of trouble, they are more kind and generous and they are less likely to suffer from depression or anxiety.

Children who have a close relationship with their grandparents have lower chances of suffering from depression

For a study, starting from 1985 up until 2004, more than 350 grandparents and their grandchildren were interviewed and it was discovered that those kids who had a strong emotional bond with their grandparents were less likely to develop depression or anxiety when they grew up than those who did not. The grandparents who participated in the studies were also less depressed. A different study also found that adolescents and teens were also less likely to be affected by depression if they were in a strong bond with their grandparents.

The emotional intelligence of kids who have good relationships with their grandparents is higher

Having a higher EQ, or emotional intelligence quotient means that the child is more sociable, they can make friends more easily, they are kind to others, and they get along well with everyone. EQ is a very important thing in a child’s life, and a study from Pace University in which 186 adults were examined, showed that kids who were closer to their grandparents, grew up to have a higher EQ as adults.

This makes perfect sense when you think that grandparents are usually struggling with health issues, and generally, technology isn’t their strong side, so children learn to be patient and to have understanding being with them and helping them.

The love for the grandchildren is good for the grandparents too

Grandparents have benefited from being around their grandchildren too. They too are generally less depressed, calmer and happier when they feel loved by their grandchildren. So if you happen upon a grandparent complaining about having to babysit, just tell them it’s for their good.

The mutual love between the grandparents and the grandchildren also means a longer life for the grandparent. Older people tend to spend a large deal of their time just sitting in front of the TV alone so grandchildren bring youth into their life and make them feel younger. Several studies have found that grandparents that spend quality time with their grandchildren live longer.

Spending time with grandchildren can have an impact on the grandparent’s longevity

The results of a study show that having a good grandparent-grandchild relationship can positively affect the average length of the grandparent’s life.

This is especially correct for those grandparents that took care of their grandchildren more often and regularly. The research was done on 500 grandparents who were older than 70 and it showed that the risk of death was greater among those that didn’t have a good relationship with their grandchildren, or they didn’t babysit them often.

The researchers that did the study said that the additional years in the grandparent’s life could be attributed to the feeling that they were needed and loved by someone who mentally stimulated their brains. Also, the experience of watching and being part of the grandchild’s development from a kid to an adult proved to be of great help in increasing the grandparent’s life expectancy.

Some other positive things about grandparents:

  • Grandparents can tell great stories
  • They say the same things parents say but in a different, calmer way
  • The attention that they give to their grandchildren is incomparable
  • They have so much life experience to share with their grandchildren

The love of the grandparent for their grandchildren is one that should always be cherished and encouraged because that relationship is one of the most important ones in our existence.

Source: BrightSide, WakeUpYourMind, Life.Shared