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The Wonder
Years
by T. Berry Brazelton and Ann Brown
Also in this guide:
The most exciting thing
about being a grandparent is watching your own child become nurturing. The miracle
of a new baby is overwhelming, but to watch your son or daughter becoming a parent
is just as miraculous. We watch with awe, pride and, sometimes, trepidation as
our sons and daughters do their best to raise strong and healthy offspring. We
know how demanding a job that is. We want to help. We should help. And we do.
We want to keep our grandchildren
safe and sound. We want to make our homes and theirs safe havens where nothing
bad can happen to them. We want to share with our own children the lessons we
learned-and learn a few new tips ourselves.
The contributions grandparents
make to their families are extraordinary. Some, like baby-sitting or giving them
safe cribs or strollers, are tangible. Others, like providing a role model for
grandchildren, are intangible but just as powerful and real. We do know that virtually
every study of child development shows that youngsters lucky enough to have loving
grandparents are destined to be winners. All research on single parents shows
that the future of the children is correlated with support from grandparents.
We also know that grandparents
can make their children's job of parenting a lot easier. When you lend a sympathetic
ear to an upset parent you provide a safe outlet for often difficult emotions.
When you give your children a night off by baby-sitting, you give them and your
grandchild a much-needed break from the inevitable strains of the nuclear family.
When your children know that, in a pinch, there is someone to step in to love
their children and keep them safe, you give them the most valuable kind of support.
More and more, we see
grandparents providing reliable and dedicated child care. In fact, the U.S. Census
Bureau estimates that about 1.3 million children are entrusted to their grandparents
every day. That same 1994 study says another 2.4 million children live in households
headed by a grandparent. It means that numbers of grandparents make it possible
for the young ones to grow up in stable homes and communities.
But it's the daily acknowledgment
that we get from our children and grandchildren that inspires us to develop and
maintain those loving connections. What fun to watch their eyes widen and sparkle
when you tell your grandchildren about how their mommy was as a small child! We
know it's not always easy, that it takes thought, finesse and devotion. It requires
us to be emotionally flexible and nurturing. We have to be vigilant and make our
homes safe for children. We need to take our role modeling seriously-for our children
and grandchildren. We hope we can help. Because when grandparenting works, there's
nothing better. We know. We're grandparents too.
Article by U.S. Consumer
Product Safety Commission
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