Grandparents and Grandchildren Relationships Essay

There are many benefits that can be enjoyed as a result of the relationships between grandparents and their grandchildren. The benefits that can result from such relationships are loving companionship, the grandchildren gain mentors, and the grand parents can educate the grandchildren on the family history as well as their culture. It is therefore clear that the grandchildren can gain more knowledge from their relationship with their grandparents. According to Weston &Qu (2009, p. 59), there are many roles that the grandparents can play on their grandchildren growth. However, their ability to perform these roles is dependent on the relationship that exists between the grandparents and the grandchildren. One important role that the grandparents can play in the growth of the grandchildren is teaching them their history and their culture. Therefore, from this relationships the grandchildren gains historians and educators. Another important role that the grandparents can play on the growth of their grandchildren is mentoring them. Children require mentorship in order to avoid making some mistakes such as engaging in immoral behaviors. As a result of these relationships, children develop life skills on activities which can be performed during their leisure times. Grandparents also can gain some benefits from their relationships with their grandchildren. For instance, some grandparents use their parenting skills in grand parenting in order to prove to their children that they are good parents as a result of their years of experience (Mader, 2007, p. 1). Further, this relationship offers the grandparents with an opportunity to be involved in their grandchildren’s lives. As a result of the various benefits identified on the relationship between grandparents and their grandchildren, such relationships are very import ant to the grandparents as well as to their grandchildren. Whereas the grandchildren gain historians, mentors and educators, the grandparents get an opportunity to be involved in their grandchildren’s lives. References Mader, S.L. (2007). Benefits of Grandparenting.Family and Consumer Sciences. The Ohio State University. Retrieved from: http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/5000/pdf/Benefits_Grandparenting.pdf Weston, R &Qu, L. (2009).Relationships between grandparents and grandchildren. Family Matters 2009 No. 81. Retrieved from: http://www.mentalhealthacademy.net/journal_archive/aifs094.pdf