Often grandparenting means a weekend with grandchildren every now and then, an evening babysitting, a summer vacation, or chats on the phone and Facetime here and there.
But when life circumstances change, grandparents often assume full- or part-time responsibility for their grandchildren.
Here is another great article from Eastern Illinois University graduate student Kayli Worthey:
There are many different reasons grandparents assume the primary parenting role, including family crises like disability of child or parent, death, divorce, deportation, incarceration, or military deployment.
Others may raise their grandchildren due to state removal from parental care because of parental substance abuse, abuse, and neglect, unemployment, mental or physical illnesses, or child abandonment.
FACTS FOR FAMILIES: Dental health impacted by COVID-19
Raising grandchildren can be incredibly rewarding but also challenging. In terms of support for grandparents raising grandchildren, here are some tips to get started:
1. Recognize your feelings
It’s important to acknowledge and accept what you’re feeling, both positive and negative. Don’t beat yourself up over your doubts and misgivings. It’s only natural to feel some contradiction about childrearing when you expected your responsibilities to be dwindling.
These feelings don’t mean that you don’t love your grandchildren. You may feel stress, worry, anger, resentment, guilt, and even grief. It’s essential to recognize your feelings and reach out to friends, family, or professional help if needed.
A healthy you means healthy grandchildren. If you don’t take care of your health, you won’t be able to take care of your grandchildren, either. Make it a priority to eat nutritious meals, exercise regularly, and get adequate sleep.
Don’t let doctor’s appointments or medication refills slide. Burnout is also very possible, so it is vital to carve out time for hobbies and relaxation to avoid it. Look for support groups for grandparents raising grandchildren. Support groups or even phone support can be beneficial in this journey, and it’s a good start for making friends in similar situations. Hearing from people who have been there can help both uplifts your spirits and give you concrete suggestions for your situation.
3. Recognize that grandchildren will have mixed feelings
When children deal with the loss of regular contact with their parents, the move between homes is challenging. It will take some time for your grandchildren to adjust, and in the meantime, they may act especially contrary and difficult.
If children have suffered from emotional neglect, trauma, or abuse, children will especially need time to heal. Grandchildren may feel anger, resentment, confusion, grief, and sadness due to loss or separation from a parent. These feelings may come out in many ways, including inappropriate or aggressive behavior. Do not be afraid to reach out to professional help for children, whether therapy or talking to a school social worker.
4. Focus on building a safe home
It may take some time for your grandchildren to adjust to a new home, but making the environment stable and the transition safe is essential. Ask the children for their input and encourage them to decorate their room the way they like.
Make sure children have a private space they can call their own and use as their “safe space.” While children should have some control, it is still important to remember you are now their guardian. Set clear and appropriate rules for the household to eliminate the unknown. Routines and schedules may also help children.
5. Communicate openly and honestly
Coping with new situations is scary, but communicating openly and honestly with the people involved can help. Listen to your grandchildren about their questions, concerns, and feelings. Encourage them to talk about their feelings, good and bad. However, be aware of the different developmental stages of the children. Some grandchildren may need help identifying their emotions or verbalizing them in general.
University of Illinois Extension has a website with online newsletters called Parenting Again that cover many topics designed to help grandparents raising grandchildren. This site can be found at web.extension.illinois.edu/grandparents/index.html
Remember these Charleston locations?
Bill’s Bottle Shop
1979: The owner of bill’s Bottle Shop isn’t concerned about House Bill 21. The Liquor Commission has proposed extending bar hours from 1 to 2 a.m. and increasing the number of licenses from 25 to 32.
Filter Plant
1935: The new filtering plant in Charleston has been placed in operation. The plant, which has a daily capacity of two million gallons, consists of three filter beds, mixing and settling beds. A booster pump takes care of pressure in case of fires. The water comes from deep wells. The addition to the Charleston waterworks was financed through funds on hand and by a small bond issue.
Junk yard
1965: An auto graveyard near Charleston is nestled between rolling hills along scenic Illinois 16.
Junk yard
1965: Mayor-elect Wlater Reasor Jr. and Eastern Illinois University president have urged to move the junk yards west of Charleston city limits.
Krackers
1988: Teen night fills the floor at E.L. Krackers.
Rotary community pool
1974: The Charleston Rotary Community Pool is located on approximately five acres of land directly behind the Junior High School.
Waterworks
1948: Charleston’s waterworks is being converted from diesel to electric power this week at a savings in costs of $500 a month, releasing 18,000 gallons of fuel oil a year for other uses. Oil tanks will be kept full to enable emergency use of the diesel engines which will remain in place although disconnected.
Charleston airview
1985: Airview of Charleston.
American Hardware Supply aerial view
1982: Aerial view shows extent of American Hardware Supply Co.’s new 240,000 square foot distribution center north of Charleston.
Cheri Burcham is the Family Life Educator at the U of I Extension.