Being a parent and being a grandparent are two very different jobs, meaning the transition to the latter is not as easy as it might seem. However, it is not a hard transition to make, either. What it is, is important. Transitioning from parent to grandparent, for the sake of everybody involved, is an essential thing to do, and you need to get it right.
To find out how to make the all-important transition from parent to grandparent when the grandkids arrive, be sure to heed the points below.
Think twice before giving advice
As a new grandparent, as you see your son or daughter circumvent the early stages of having a child, it’s easy to want to shower them with parenting advice. You’ve been there, you’ve done it, and there’s no denying that you know what you’re talking about. Advice when it comes to parenting, however, is not always welcome. Even from their own parents, new mothers and fathers do not always feel the need for advice, and they certainly don’t like it to be given unceremoniously.
Think twice before you feel the urge to give advice, and unless your child comes to you for it regarding how to raise their own, try to keep a distance. It doesn’t mean that you should refrain from helping them, it means that you should refrain from telling them what to do based on assumptions that you make about their parenting skills.
Follow the rules set by your children
You may have been the one to set rules for your children in the past, but now they have children of their own, it’s up to them to set them. It’s up to them to set any rules they see fit regarding the upbringing of their children, and it’s up to you to follow those rules. Not doing so is a pitfall of grandparenthood that you don’t want to fall down.
If this means not allowing your grandchild a certain treat, then refrain from treating them in this way, or if this means not disciplining them in a certain way, even if you think it is the right way, then simply don’t do it. Your children are in charge of the way they bring up their children, and all, including you, should follow the rules they set to do so.
Put old on hold to do things with your grandchild
Your children will need a break from their kids at some point, and that’s when you should step in. You should offer to look after your grandchild whenever you are called upon, and you should make the most out of every chance you get to spend with them when you are. If this means joining the amazing over 50s putting old on hold to do things you were doing 20+ years ago in order to ensure you and your grandchild have as much fun as possible, then do it! You will not get the time you spend with your young grandchildren back, and, therefore, should squeeze as much out of the time you spend together as you can.
As important as it is to take a back seat and to allow your children the space they need to raise their children their way, you still always need to be there for them. Mastering the art of knowing when to help, and when not to help, is the key to making that all-important transition from parent to grandparent in the right way.