The Golden Rule for being a fantastic grandparent is to listen!
This is my number one tip for a grandparent who wants to be a fantastic granparent. Listen to your children and grandchildren. The best way to be an important part of their lives is to be a good friend. And being a good friend means that you listen. Don’t make judgements. Just listen. They will cherish you more for just being there and hearing them more than anything else. If they know that you will listen and not judge, you will be amazed at how much you will get to know about them. The more they trust the more they will open up to you.
Once a trusting relationship is there between you and your grandchilren, and your children in their new role you will find many opportunities to give tips, ideas, opinions and advice that is invited and valued.That sharing of wisdom that you are itching to give will be shared. If you can remember that this is their life and that they will make mistakes, and that it is not for you to stop them making mistakes necessarily, you will be a long way towards building a strong relationship that lasts a lifetime.
We all want to be loved and accepted unconditionally. One of the ways of feeling that we are is that we have someone we trust to be on our side no matter what. As a grandparent you can foster this privilege. Let them know that mistakes are ok. That they are loved despite mistakes. That mistakes help us learn. Just follow the golden rule of good granparenting: LISTEN!
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