Grandparents enrich a grandchild's life in so many ways — by playing and reading, by sharing life lessons and family history, by listening and lending advice, by providing stability to the family, and by offering emotional, spiritual and financial support. And with complex issues like diversity within the family, divorce, and long distance facing grandparents today, a grandparent's ability to play an essential role in a grandchild's life is more important, yet more challenging, than ever.
No More Spanking!
Child development research suggests that spanking as a regular form of punishment can lead to a host of outcomes that are detrimental to a child's development. However, 70% of grandparents of young children incorrectly believe that it is appropriate to spank a young child as a "regular form of punishment."
From the national benchmark survey What Grown-Ups Understand About Child Development.
Learn about alternatives to spanking inside Behavior.
Promote Your Grandchild's Brain Development
Because most of a baby's experience involves his relationship with his caregivers, your new grandchild comes into the world eager for interaction. He wants to connect with you, right from the beginning, and it's this emotional connection that helps give him the confidence he needs to learn. From the very first moments of life with a baby, the love and attention you share with him will lay the groundwork for the kind of adult that he will become.
From the video Grandparenting: Enriching Lives .
Look for ways to nurture your grandchild's brain in Development.
Time to Eat!
What and when should you feed your grandchild? Things have changed since raising your children. These days, a newborn baby receives all his nutrition from breast milk (or formula) until about 4-6 months. At around this time, when he begins to show signs that he is ready for solids, a caregiver can begin to incorporate foods such as iron-fortified cereals and single ingredient fruits and vegetables into his diet.
From the book Understanding Children.
Find out more about the foods your grandchild eats — as well as food ideas that will both nourish and appeal to young children — in Health and Nutrition. |
