Blair Selby is currently 'a parent in training' by her preschooler. In her former life, she taught preschool; facilitated parenting groups; and sometimes even slept in.
Remy Agee, 'Gam ' and 'Grandma', a GRAND featured columnist on school readiness, continues to learn about life and this amazing world from her five grandchildren and about today's parenting from their parents.
|
The Issue: We both laughed, when we read a comment by author Hope Edleman (Mother of My Mother), “Grandparents are just as likely to be sources of conflict as pillars of support”.
And then I (GRAND) stopped laughing, as I recalled a recent time when I blew it. Just the other day, in fact. I didn’t keep my mouth shut, when a parenting issue became too intense for me to keep quiet. No, my grandchild was not in danger. I just didn’t agree with how the situation was being handled. And it got pretty uncomfortable. After some discussion with the parent involved and later more with the one not at home at the time, it dawned on me: This is definitely a work in progress. This parent-grandparent relationship, I mean. And it’s going to work better some days and not so well other times.
Most people agree: Grandparents are pillars of support, playing a critical role on so many levels. Grandparents are a link to the past…sharing the wisdom they have acquired through decades of life experiences as well as a different perspective.
And most people also recognize that the older generation offers another source of unconditional love and encouragement for grandchildren, while helping them feel secure in the world, as noted by Dr. Susan Newman (author and parenting expert) in our recent interview.
Click here to read more...
|
