Talk To Your Sibling Grandkids About Each Other
By Rachel Cherry
Talking to your grandchildren about their siblings, what is going on in their lives, can help make the children think thoughtfully about each other. They have to see them as people and not just as siblings.
Encourage them to cheer for each other and help out each other’s weaknesses. If one sibling is strong in an area that the other one is not then encourage them to help out.
Having them work together on projects around the house such as chores or working in the yard is always a good idea. Have them do arts and crafts projects together and make gifts for mom and dad as a team.
One thing that used to bother me when I was growing up was that my brother would do a job poorly, like dishes, and then dishes would become my permanent chore because I was better at it. He would get the chores that he did not mind so much. I understand how this can happen because with multiple children you just kind of find yourself trying to keep the peace very often. If there is an uncomplaining child they usually get the less than desirable chore. Do your best not to allow this to happen; it takes a lot more work on your part but it is better for sibling relationships.
It can or cannot be a good idea to have older siblings help the younger ones with their school work. It depends on the maturity of the older child. Sometimes it works out really nice however you do not want one child to get resentful or to feel like a parent of the other child.
As a grandparent, keep your eyes open to the dynamic between your grandchildren and help them to forge strong loving sibling bonds that will last a lifetime.
Rachael Cherry is a wife, mother, and writer who is passionate about helping connect families in need with high quality caregivers. She has taken that passion and put it to work through NannyPro, a respected online nanny referral service. Learn more by visiting @NannyPro on Twitter.
