The Importance of Strong Family Ties!
Posted: Monday, November 08, 2010
by Iris Taub
In Today's economy, more and more families are going back to basics where Grandparent's are taking a more active role in helping their children raise their grandchildren!
I have had the pleasure of experiencing this wonderful opportunity with two out of our four grandchildren and I find that more and more grandparents are also sharing this plan with theirs.
I notice more and more grandparents that are themselves forced into early retirement and not being able to find gainful employment, have taken a more active role with their grandchildren and taking over the role of caretaker when their adult children are working!
It is definitely a win, win, situation for all concerned! The children are happy and secure, the parents have peace of mind knowing that their own parents are caring for their children, the grandparents are active and productive.
More importantly are the bonds that are created on all sides.
They say that one door closes and another one opens is so true in life! When I was forced into early retirement and eventually disability due to complications from my own health issues, I felt useless and I was also borderline depressed.
At the time my beautiful Mother-in-law was watching our infant granddaughter but fate stepped in and handed us a horrible blow when she had a stroke and then passed away from complications from that condition a month later.
My daughter, infant granddaughter and I were at her bedside that entire month every day to see if our love was strong enough to pull her through. We realized at that time how strong our bond and love was and althrough she could not verbally respond to us, we could see it in her eyes the delight of seeing her only great daughter and from that moment on, we knew the importance of family and the strong ties that are formed.
Although we were devastated when she passed, we knew that our presence gave her some comfort and I knew that I had to focus on my granddaughter and take over where Mom left off.
That was five years ago and believe it or not, our granddaughter who will be seven next month still remembers her Mammie from those early years and the love her Mammie gave her. Now she has a younger brother who will be three this month and although he has never met Mammie, we share stories about her and I realize the importance of family.
I know now that even though I am not productive in the business world, I am making my mark by being a loving Nana and sharing my love, live experience and time with them. The bonds that we form will grow stronger as time passes and we will all cherish these days and build wonderful memories that will hopefully last a lifetime!
With the holidays literally just around the corner, give thanks to your family and never take each other for granted. Take every opportunity to tell one another how much you love them and appreciate them and keep those family ties as strong as you can make them!
Iris S. Taub
Parkland, Florida
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Top-level comments on this article: (3 total)Nice article Iris, thanks :)It's a shame when people have children they can ill afford and have to hand them over to a paid child minder so they can go to work. That must have a detrimental affect on those children?Hi Bill,
Not all daycare centers are bad. Times have changed and now it is almost impossible to make it on one salary. What was once considered normal for a Mom to stay home with the children has become the exception to the rule thanks to a suffering ecomony and when a Mom used to work to buy the extra's is now the Mom who has to work to help supplement an income to pay the bills! If those parents have a great support group, they can benefit from having the children they want and those children are surrounded by people they love and trust so how can that be a detrimental affect on them?
Iris S. Taub
Very good article Iris, yes I believe grandparents should play an active role in raising their grandchildren.Thanks David,
I feel blessed to be able to be with them and play an active role in raising them!
Grandparents are often more able to give unconditional love, so I think it's wonderful when they can be part of children's lives.Thanks Jennifer,
I don't know if I would call it more unconditional love but maybe as we mature, we seem to have more patience. I remember when my own children were young, I was totally exhausted from trying to jiggle work, children and keeping up with the house, now all I have to concentrate on is the grandchildren and making dinner. The rest my daughter does!
Thanks for taking the time to write.
Happy Holidays!
Iris S Taub
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