14 Ways Living Close to Grandparents Enhances the Lives of Our Littles

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In the United States, 8% of children live in homes with their parents and grandparents. This living arrangement was popular in the past is making a comeback. It might be due to financial situations, cultural roots, and the emotional and social support extended families provide. Even for families that choose not to live in such close quarters, 2022 stats show that over half of Americans live within an hour of extended family.

Living close to family, particularly grandparents, offers kids a sense of security, love, wisdom, and values difficult to find elsewhere. Grandparents often play a key role in raising their grandchildren, providing guidance, storytelling, and helping with daily tasks. This enhances children’s lives, teaching them valuable lessons and offering perspectives from their elders. 

Not all kids aren’t so lucky to be close to their grandparents or have grandparents who want to be involved in their lives. But if they are, it’s truly a blessing.

Let’s discuss in detail 14 ways living close to grandparents is super beneficial. 

1. Boost in Emotional Intelligence

Living near grandparents can be beneficial for a kid’s emotional behavior. Research suggests that kids who have grandparents living close to them are at a decreased risk of having emotional issues. 

When kids are around the care, empathy, and patience that grandparents naturally have, they are better at figuring out and talking about their feelings. Grandparents, with all their stories and experience, usually provide a listening ear, helping kids to understand whatever emotions they’re dealing with. 

This kind of emotional stability is priceless. It makes kids more empathetic and better at dealing with people, which is crucial in every aspect of life. 

2. Grandparents Make Children Happier More Than Anyone Else

Grandparents bring happiness and joy to their grandchildren’s lives, creating cherished memories. They offer unconditional love and stability, making kids feel safe and loved. Known for their special treats and fun surprises, they make moments that turn into happy memories. Their stories and fun activities build strong emotional bonds, helping kids feel a sense of belonging. 

This special bond between grandparents and grandchildren boosts joy, emotional security, and well-being, promoting a positive view of life.

Moreover, spending time with grandkids makes grandparents equally happy and cheerful, so it’s a win-win for both generations. 

3. Living Near Grandparents Reduces Ageism

Living with grandparents is a great way to beat ageism, a kind of discrimination in which you treat people unfairly because of their age. When kids and grandparents spend time together kids start seeing the older generation as kind and wise, not just old. 

They understand that getting older is normal and something to be respected. Hanging out every day can help break old stereotypes about age, making kids more welcoming and caring. 

Through stories, fun activities, and just spending time together, grandparents show their grandkids that being smart and capable doesn’t have an expiration date. This teaches everyone to treat people well, no matter how old they are!

4. Grandparents Are a Greater Source of Wisdom

“The older you get, the wiser you become.” So, technically, spending time with grandparents means exposing yourself to the wisdom of ages! Older people have a lot of life experience that can teach us valuable lessons. They’ve gone through many ups and downs that we might only see in books. This means they can give their grandchildren real advice and help them see things differently when they face tough times.

A study found that children who have a close relationship with their grandparents are less likely to suffer from depression as they understand that hardships and failures are part of life.

5. Grandparents Help Improve Prosocial Behaviors

Hanging out with grandparents or just spending some good old quality time with them can boost the nice behaviors in kids, like being kind, sharing, and working well with others. Grandparents are experts at showing these behaviors in day-to-day life. 

With tons of patience and life experiences that make them great at showing kindness and understanding, kids start picking up on these cool ways to be generous and empathetic with their friends. 

Having grandparents around is like a constant reminder of how important it is to care about others. They create a warm environment where kids not only get a lot of love but also learn to give it back. 

6. Grandparents Provide Unconditional Love

Grandparents are synonymous with unconditional love. Being raised near grandparents gives children an additional source of love and support beyond their parents, offering an extra layer of care.

This means no matter what happens, grandkids can always count on their grandparents to love them just as they are. This kind of love helps children feel safe and secure, making them more confident as they grow up.

7. Living Near Grandparents Means Learning New Skills Every Day

Grandparents are packed with skills and knowledge that are becoming rare or even disappearing in our digital world. From gardening to knitting, woodworking, and cooking grandparents- know it all. These skills can add something special to their grandkids’ lives and are a way of spending some quality time together. 

These moments of learning from one generation to the next are fun and important for keeping practical knowledge alive that might otherwise just fade into history. It also sparks curiosity, boosts motor skills, and builds up confidence in kids.

8. Academic Guidance

Grandparents are the biggest mentors when it comes to academic success. With all the knowledge they have gathered over all these years, they offer great advice and help with school work, making learning fun for their grandkids. 

Studies show that kids do better in school when their grandparents are involved, getting higher grades and even finishing high school. So, it’s clear that grandparents can help kids shine in their studies, showing how special and important it is to keep these family bonds strong for learning. 

9. Stronger Family Bonds

Living with or near grandparents truly strengthens family ties, creating a stronger, more loving family circle. Grandparents at home or living nearby create a warm sense of support. 

These close-knit family ties ensure a culture of deep respect, understanding, and affection. Grandchildren growing up with grandparents learn to deeply honor and appreciate the elders in their lives, valuing the wisdom and life lessons they offer. 

Grandparents, in turn, feel more cherished and alive, seeing their impact and legacy flourish. 

10. Grandparents Offer Spiritual Connection

In many families, grandparents are considered the spiritual guides, teaching the kids all about their faith and beliefs. While these lessons are purely personal and can vary greatly from one family to another, they are crucial in shaping kids’ minds regarding their beliefs.

Sharing these activities, like praying, meditating, going to worship services, or following sacred rituals, is a key part of family bonding. It gives the kids a sense of where they belong, comfort, and direction. It helps them deal with life’s ups and downs by knowing what’s right and wrong and a touch of spirituality.

11. Free Childcare With a Side of Love

Grandparents provide the best childcare, without a doubt. It’s more than just a helping hand. Unlike traditional childcare, grandparents provide their grandkids with so much love and attention that it’s heartwarming. 

Living near grandparents is a godsend for working parents, giving them total peace of mind that their little ones are in the safest and most loving hands possible (whether only for emergencies or the family has something more formal set up). This family-style childcare often means kids get more one-on-one time, more story time, and even life lessons that you just can’t get in traditional settings. 

12. Grandparents Provide Unplugged Time

In a world dominated by screens, grandparents are like a breath of fresh air. They create spaces where kids can indulge in the simple joys of life. Like playing outside, getting lost in a good book, or having simple heart-to-heart chats. 

This break from digital life is a big win for kids’ health, both physical and mental health. Being around grandma and grandpa helps kids build social skills, fire up their imaginations, and learn to create memories off screens.

13. Kids Get Familiar With Traditions and Culture

Whether it’s carving pumpkins for Halloween, decorating the Christmas tree, or preparing for Mother’s Day, celebrating seasonal traditions with grandparents helps kids learn about their culture and history. 

Grandparents share old rituals, recipes, and stories, making these traditions a way to connect children with their family’s roots. By looking at tradition, kids get a peek into their elders’ lives and get to know why certain customs matter and the reasons we celebrate them.

14. Judgement Free Zone

One of the most significant benefits of having grandparents around is the unique and loving environment they create, offering a space where children can freely express themselves. 

This haven allows kids to be their original selves, knowing that their actions or choices will be understood not judged. This unconditional acceptance is crucial for their emotional and psychological growth, making grandparents an invaluable presence in their lives.

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