Having a close bond with their grandparents is very positive for the development of children, and it is also enormously beneficial for grandparents to spend time with their children. As long as it is not a problem for them, taking care of their grandchildren has great advantages for everyone.
Science has taken care to prove the benefits of grandparents taking care of their grandchildren through numerous investigations, such as those we tell you below.
Children have less emotional and behavioral problems
The emotional support that grandparents provide to children in childhood leaves a mark for a lifetime. According to a study by the University of Oxford, children who are close to their grandparents have fewer emotional and behavioral problems, and are better able to deal with life's traumatic events, such as a divorce or a bullying situation.
Grandparents can provide a sense of security and support that helps children through adverse childhood experiences.
In Babies and more Leisure time with your grandmother, the best Christmas gift that grandchildren can receiveContribute to build your identity
According to research conducted by scientists at Emory University, maintaining a close relationship between generations helps children have a better understanding of their family history, and where they fit into it.
This contributes to build your own identity, strengthening children's personality and helping them feel more control of their lives, even when the world outside their family seems to be out of control.
Knowing about their families and past generations that have survived difficult times helps children learn to cope with and recover from their own adversity.
It helps to avoid prejudices towards the elderly
According to a study involving 1,151 Belgian children between 7 and 16 years old, children who are close to their grandparents are less likely to show bias towards older adults.
The research analyzed the relationship between the closeness of the grandchildren with their grandparents and the perception they had about older people, finding that spending time with them helped them avoid the appearance of prejudices about the elderly.
Children who had a bad relationship (not necessarily in terms of the amount of contact, but rather the quality of it) were more likely to have prejudiced views.
Protects against depression, grandparents and grandchildren
Being near their grandparents protects children from depression when they are adults. A 2014 study at Boston College linked the close emotional relationships between grandparents and adult grandchildren with lower rates of depression, both for the elderly and for their adult grandchildren.
In Babies and more Grandparents who care for their grandchildren live longerExtends life to grandparents
What is clear is that the relationship grandparents and grandchildren is good for both. A study conducted in Germany in recent decades and published in 2017 found that grandparents who care for their grandchildren occasionally they live longer.
It involved 500 people between 70 and 100 years old from Berlin who were followed up through interviews and medical checks. The results found that in the elderly the risk of dying is reduced by 37 percent in the next 20 years.
