What keeps the bond between grandparents and grandchildren alive

Have you ever wondered how it is that some grandparents manage to have such a close relationship with their grandchildren and others do not? There are some factors that directly influence the bond between grandparents and grandchildren being stronger. The following information cannot be applied to grandparents who have family problems or who have completely lost contact with their grandchildren … But for the rest, this information is essential to know.

PROXIMITY

Physical proximity is essential, although thanks to new technologies emotional proximity is possible thanks to new technologies. It is also possible that if you live far from your grandchildren, you look for moments during the year to be able to move and see them, or that your children travel to your home to spend moments together.

It may also be that the health or financial status of the grandparents also limits geographic mobility. The distance geographically is not terribly important for grandparents who are fit, they are healthy and financially able to pay the cost of frequent trips to see their grandchildren.

Many grandparents visit their grandchildren daily through FaceTime, Skype or another video chat platform that allows them to feel closer emotionally even if they do not have the opportunity to hug them in live time. But at least on an emotional level they are closer. Texting and social media are a good means of contact, as long as the grandparents can control the devices well. If not, traditional calls will also be a good opportunity for emotional connection with the grandchildren. There are many ways to reduce the distance and that there is emotional proximity between one and the other.

CONTACT FREQUENCY

Although the grandparents live next to the grandchildren’s house, if they do not have frequent contact, it will be of little use that they are so close. Grandparents who stay in frequent contact with their grandchildren have closer relationships, but physical distance is not the only obstacle to contact.

When parents divorce it can make grandparents see their grandchildren less often when their children do not have custody . But it is important to work on the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren even if there is a divorce because children need their grandparents in their lives.

GRANDPARENTS WITHIN THE FAMILY

When grandparents take care of their grandchildren they become surrogate parents to their grandchildren and have a greater opportunity to bond … As long as the care is voluntary or they spend leisure time together. The regular presence of grandparents in children’s lives is what results in closeness rather than the roles they perform. If you take care of your grandchildren or spend more time with them for leisure time, you can have a better emotional bond.

THE NORMALITY OF GRANDPARENTS

Families that work on strong relationships between generations are more likely to have them. Children must learn from a young age that family members are important, everyone has their role and roles. Everyone has obligations to fulfill within the family nucleus.

Those obligations may include caring for children and the elderly, financial assistance, and general exchange of duties. Attendance flows in both directions: from youth to grandparent, from grandparent to youth. Families that have this type of culture are more likely to demonstrate strong grandparent-grandchild ties than families in which individuality and independence top the list of values. Such families also adopt practices that keep extended families close.

The affective bond is like a plant that must be cared for, it must be watered every day for it to grow … and treat it with affection.