Staying Connected with Grandparents

What do you remember about your childhood?

Playing around with your friends, your school, school friends, summer / winter vacations, meeting your cousins and last but definitely not the least your time spent with your Grandparents.

We used to live in a Nuclear Family and my Dadu and Dadi lived in a different city but I remember my mom and dad making a point going to meet them and talk to them whenever they can. My Nanaji and Nani stayed in the same city and either we or they came to visit every week.

The times may have changed but the love that grandparents share for their grandchild is and always will remain the same.

Even today when I close my eyes and remember the good times spent with them I remember stealing toffees that were kept under Dadu’s pillow, My Dadi teaching me acu-pressure benefits of folding hands and doing Namaste, I was so mesmerized by the speed by which my nani could knit even while she was talking to us or with her eyes closed and ofcourse my headstrong Nanaji who always told us girls to be independent and taught us to drive motorcycle and car when we turned 18.

Their endless childhood stories entertained us when we went to visit them and now somehow these stories help me understand my roots and are great teachings of LIFE. These memories are all we are left with and now, that’s how I still feel connected to them.

Carrying forward their family traditions, their recipes, their teachings/ advice, home remedies makes me feel like I am carrying forward their legacy and their name.

This bond is definitely special and I want Kabbir to have the same. Even when his Grandparents stay a few km’s away this fast paced life sometimes makes it impossible to visit them every week, but Thank God for the advancement in technology it certainly helps us bridge this gap.

Being connected and physically being in contact helps both our kids and our parents. I firmly believe We are the bridge between these two generations and are an important link between the two.

Kabbir with his Grand-parents

Few Things which we parents can do to make our grandparents feel connected to their Grand kids:

•  We may have differences with our in-laws but make a point not to talk about them in front of the kids. Kids at this age are very receptive of what good and bad things happen around them and this can affect their relationship with their grandparents in the long run

• Make it a point that kids greet their grandparents with utmost respect every time they meet or talk to them even on phone. Teaching them the importance of the blessing and love they will receive from the grandparents certainly helps kids realize how important the presence of their grandparents is in their life.

Dressed-coordinated together for a cousins wedding

• Remember how lonely, depressing and ailing old age can be and these kids are just their grandparents extensions ask kids to assist their grandparents whenever they can. Dadu may not be able to hear Kabbir at once due to old age but he loves him a lot and will do anything to hear him talk to him patiently. So ask kids to be patient with them. This will not only help Grandparents feel important but help you raise compassionate kids.

• Grandparents might not be updated with what movies, songs or cartoon characters/ super-heroes are famous these days which might interest our kids but I think it is our duty to keep on updating them so they are able to hold conversation that might interest kids. This certainly help bridge the generation gap between the two and Kids may not feel distant from them.

So our Nani’s knows Lightening Macqueen, Peppa Pig, Doremon and Dadu Dadi known Kabbir’s current favourite sack is samosa, choco’s and oreo’s. Whenever Kabbir calls them he knows what to ask his Grandparents ;) or they know what to talk about to get his attention.

Nanu and Dadu at Sesame Street Theme Party for Kabbir's Birthday!

• Give them some alone time to bond. Now days we are quite protective of our kids but understand Grandparents have the best intentions and will do best of their efforts to take care of them. So from very young age Kabbir went to stay at his Grandparents place alone.He knows even if his mum is not there Nani/ Dadi will wash his potty like his mum does and he can ask them to eat whatever he wants to eat without any hesitation and Nanu will make him eat with his hands when Kabbir is busy watching videos on his tablet.

And even when Mum is sick or busy, nani will take him to park to play.This will help them develop memories with grandparents to remember them by and also develop trust.

Giving Nanu His Medicines

•  Let grandparents play an active role in their school projects and functions. I swear this is the most important. It will help grandparents build their confidence and kids feel so special when grandparents come to their school, they will introduce them to their friends, teachers, show them their class rooms and help grandparents loosen up outside the home once in a while. Grandparents will feel like kids and all of them will enjoy. So our Nanu has even won Saree draping competition, nani has won a singing competition and Dadu Dadi tried paper dance giggling and getting embarrassed at the same time. They looked too cute!

  

Participating in Kabbir's Grandparents Day Fun Activities

There may be some glitches while following these steps or some things may not go as planned but this relationship is way too precious to hold back kids from experiencing it.

                All this makes grandparents-grand kids relationship magical and memorable and this way grandparents can also play an active role in the upbringing of our kids and feel good about themselves while kids can enjoy being loved and pampered which sometimes we as parents need to be strict about.

- That Imperfect Mom

I would love to Thank Pooja Kawatra for making me part of this Blog Train. Do read here blog “Mums & Babies” and the entire schedule of the Blog Train Here

Thank You Rashmi from NotJustMommying, who is a Hospitality professional and educator turned blogger. A proud cloth- diapering, co-sleeping, breastfeeding mom. She writes in an attempt to make Mommying simpler for other new mom’s. though a caring mommy to her baby but she is NoyJustmommying.

And, the next stop Upasana Sharma from Mom and Maithaili , the writer, author and mom behind this blog. Her goal is to share her parenting stories and her daily lifestyle stories.