We all have fond memories of having or being a grandparent. My own parents have told me on several accounts that a reason for having kids is knowing that one day you will be blessed with having grandchildren that you can spoil and hand back to their parents for disciplining. Being a grandparent, you can sit back and enjoy more easily than raising your own children.
One of my own favourite childhood memories is going to my grandparent’s house and it always smelling like freshly baked cookies. If it smelled like chocolate chips then you knew it was grandmas baking and going to be filled with all the sugary things. If it smelled like raisins, then you knew grandpa was baking and it was going to have all the not-so-sweet things to be a healthier cookie. Being young children, we would always be very happy to smell the chocolate chip cookies!
Grandparents play a very important role, to both the grandchildren and the parents. They create a sense of stability and safety in a child’s life. Grandparents are wise but also a lot of fun! Keeping up with young grandchildren encourages physical activity which creates its own benefits. Laughing and smiling with your grandkids helps relieve stress and keeps away depression.
Not everyone is fortunate enough to live near their grandchildren, but there are many ways to stay in contact and create long-lasting memories with them. These days, there are many different apps you can use on your phone, tablet or computer to stay connected visually. You can FaceTime or zoom calls with them so you can see each other’s faces. When the children learn to write, becoming pen pals and write each other letters can also be a fun way to interact.
In conclusion, grandparents make the world go round. Studies have shown that for children and grandparents alike, spending time together helps improves everyone’s mental, emotional, and physical health.
Whitevalley Resource Center would like to thank our sponsors, The United Way, and Interior Health.
