When you offer or accept the request to care for grandchildren, go in with your eyes wide open and set some boundaries. Remember, you're entitled to have a life, too. Never commit to babysitting or ongoing child care if you really don't want to do it. The more they see you as supportive, the more open they will be to establishing a strong relationship.Ģ. The more they see you as criticizing, the more defensive they will feel and a rift can quickly form. The parents of your grandchildren don't need you harping on their biggest fears and making them feel worse. Being a parent is hard work, and most parents are unsure of their parenting skills, whether they admit it or not. Accept that the approaches to raising children vary from one generation to the next and your kids may do things differently from the way you did. Instead, respect their parenting efforts and look for reasons to complement them. Your job is to be the grandparent, not the parent. If you disagree with their decisions - and you will, sooner or later - keep quiet. Avoid judging their parenting style and bite your tongue unless they ask for your advice.

Don't tell your kids how to raise their children. Here are five pieces of advice that I'd like to share.ġ. I hear questions all the time from grandparents who wonder why they're getting a cool response instead of boundless enthusiasm from their own kids - and their grandkids.

But perhaps things haven't turned out to be quite so idyllic.

So baby pull me closer 1 hour