| The true definition of a grandparent is the parent | | | | grandparent and grandchild having a normal |
| of a child's parent. In today's society, more and | | | | relationship. |
| more grandparents are stepping in as parents | | | | If as a grandparent you find yourself in the |
| because their son or daughter is unwilling or unable | | | | position as parent to your grandchild, there are |
| to give their child proper care. While this situation | | | | several things that you can do to make the |
| may be better off for the well being of the child, | | | | situation as easy as possible. First, you should |
| both the grandparent and the child lose something | | | | take care of your health. You have someone else |
| in the process | | | | depending on you now and you can't afford to |
| Children can learn quite a lot from their | | | | end up sick or in the hospital. |
| grandparent if both parties are in their traditional | | | | You may also want to take some parenting |
| roles. They can spend quality time together and | | | | courses at a local school or online. It may have |
| form a deep and lasting bond because the | | | | been quite a few years since you were a parent |
| grandparent is able to treat the grandchild as an | | | | and the issues faced by today's youth may have |
| equal. But this equation changes as the | | | | you at a loss. You can also check for support |
| grandparent becomes the parent. He is now the | | | | groups for grandparents in the role of parents. |
| authority figure in the child' s life and may even | | | | These other older adults may give you some |
| had to come out of retirement to provide for the | | | | insight into the child's feelings and reactions. |
| child. As for spending quality time with the child, | | | | You may also want to consider counseling for |
| there is a good reason that as human beings we | | | | both you and your grandchild. You are both |
| have our children when we are younger. The | | | | dealing with a lot of strong emotions, you |
| grandparent may not have the stamina to work | | | | towards your child and your grandchild towards |
| and spend time with the child. The chance to | | | | his parent. By going through therapy together, |
| form that special bond between the grandparent | | | | you may find that it will create a bond between |
| and the grand child has disappeared. | | | | you and your grandchild. It may also make him |
| Psychologically speaking, returning to being a | | | | feel better to know that you are just as |
| parent figure after so many years can also put | | | | confused as he is. |
| extra stress on the grandparent. These older | | | | Finally, you should see an attorney to discover |
| people do not have the patience or the tolerance | | | | how you can obtain any legal documentation that |
| to raise another child, and may be dealing with | | | | your grandchild may need as well as starting |
| feelings of guilt because of the anger that they | | | | permanent custody arrangements. |
| feel towards their own child for placing them in | | | | Transforming from a grandparent to a parent is |
| this position. The child may also be dealing with | | | | not an easy situation for any of the parties |
| feelings of abandonment, which the grandparent is | | | | concerned. You should keep talking to your |
| trying to cope with also. Basically, it is an | | | | grandchild and show him that you love and |
| emotional time bomb that could explode at any | | | | support him while both of you are making the |
| moment and the grandparent may not have the | | | | transition. After all, the two of you are in it |
| strength to defuse the situation. All these volatile | | | | together and you may be surprised to discover |
| feelings can also block the way to the | | | | that you both make a pretty good team. |