Five Benefits of Grand-Parenting from a Savvy Grandma

Some grandparents would say you get to spoil them, then send them home for their parents to deal with. They do have a point. Still, being a good grandparent in no way excuses you from the responsibility of churning out a productive member of society. You have to do your part. That being said, there are more than a few fun benefits to grand-parenting.

1. You do get to send them home. The problem is, you don't always want them to go. I have a lot of fun with my grand-kids. So much fun, I don't want them to leave. So, while it's nice that I can take a break any time I want, I usually don't consider it a break. I miss them when they go back to Mom and Dad. For me, having the grand-kids over is a privilege, not a burden.

2. Grandparents get to be the fun ones. Mom and Dad have to be on task 24/7. Grandma gets to take them on adventures. Now that I'm semi-retired, I have plenty of time to take the kids places their parents don't have time to. Admittedly, we have budget adventures. Online writers like myself aren't exactly rolling in dough. Still, we get out of the house, on the road or the bike path and take things as they come. What could be better than a day with the grand-kids? Not much.

3. I can grandparent better than I parented. As a young divorced Mom of three, everything had to be squeezed in, including discipline. Now, with the grand-kids, I can do things in a much more relaxed manner. As a grandparent, I don't have to lay down the law quite as much as their parents. That means I have the luxury of doing it right by talking things out calmly at opportune moments.

4. I can be wise. I always wanted to be a wise old grandmother. Now I am. I consider it my job to keep the grand-kids informed about the ways of the world and how to deal with it. I may not be college educated, but I've experienced a whole lot of life. I think it's great that the grand-kids can benefit from that experience. Yes, even if they don't use the knowledge until they've figured a few things out for themselves.

5. Grandparents take it slow. We know how to appreciate the small things. In a lot of ways we're just like kids. We know that every moment is precious. We know that sometimes those little things are bigger than life. We also know that there's no point in living if you don't stop to play in the park once in a while. We're not so serious all the time because our personal agendas aren't what people will remember about us. Me? I'm just a kid at heart. Maybe that's why the grand-kids relate to me so well.

More from Jaipi:

Unexpected Long Term Stays: Keeping Grand-Kids Entertained on the Cheap

Five Things Your Grand-Kids Do Better - Just Admit It

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