IMPORTANT GROUND RULES FOR GRANDPARENTS ~ MAKE SURE YOU READ TO THE END!!!
This says it all, right? When the grandchildren are at Grandma and Grandpa’s house, there are no rules for Grandparents. I believe in earlier decades this was the case. Maybe it’s because families tended to live closer to each other, and the generations were more inclined to raise the kids the way they themselves had been raised. I’m going to put it out there….I miss those days. They just seemed simple and there weren’t so many rules.
Brad and I are very lucky. Our daughter and son-in-law are raising their children much like we raised her. We had rules–but they weren’t stringent. We have always had the belief if you teach your kids to have respect, they will stay within the boundaries you set more often than if you try to raise them with an iron fist. RESPECT – for elders, for your parents, for siblings, for those less fortunate, for those more fortunate, for animals.
That being said, when Lauren does express an opinion on something she would like us to do while we have the kids, we try our hardest to follow those rules. I’m not even going to say we do a perfect job of it, but we respect her as a mother enough that we usually succeed. A prime example is when she asks us to serve them more water than juices. I do a fairly good job of it. But have you seen these faces?
They melt my heart every…single…time! I know every grandparent feels this way about their grandkids as well. So darnit, sometimes it’s just hard to not say yes to everything! So here are rules we certainly try to abide by.
RULES TO FOLLOW:
2. Have Essentials Stocked ~ Load that fridge up with all of their favorites!
3. Make Life Easier on Your Own Children When They Visit ~ Look for fun ways to help get the grandkids to eat their veggies or have the grandchildren help clean up. This will help ease stress on your children so they can relax and enjoy the visit too.
4. Have Lots of Books & Games ~ It doesn’t matter if they are old games you have saved or new ones you purchased…just have them handy. But don’t just HAVE them….play them!
5. Keep Toiletries and Personal Items Stocked ~ Keep a toothbrush for each child, baby soap and shampoo, fun bath towels, swimming suits if there is an opportunity for swimming, detangler spray (a must for my baby girl), vitamins, baby medicines like Tylenol or cough syrup, extra diapers and wipes and pajamas.
6. DVD’s & VHS Tapes ~ Yes, I actually said VHS. Did your kids have a lot of favorite movies on tape? You can be sure your grandchildren will LOVE watching what their parents used to enjoy!
7. Stock Up on Fun Kitchen Ware ~ They all love to eat and drink from a fun plate with their favorite characters. Not to mention, sippy cups that don’t leak which will save a lot of stress from spills. We also really love these fun drinks. I personally think they are a tad expensive to buy new ones all of the time so we get a few favorites and then wash them out and reuse them a while. (These make it more fun to drink that water mom demands 😉) :
Aren’t these so fun? And these are just a few examples of the options available. You can pretty much get whatever their favorite character is at the moment. Most stores carry them, but there are usually more options on Amazon. You can use the link below to have them shipped to you:
In Closing:
Did you think I forgot Rule #1??? I would NEVER forget Rule #1, and I don’t think you will either
RULE #1 ~ LOVE AND HUG ON THOSE GRANDBABIES EVERY SINGLE CHANCE YOU GET! Aferall, love is the greatest of all things!
