Being a grandparent is very exciting. Most people are overjoyed when they find out that their daughter or son is having a baby.
This is absolutely a joyous event to look forward too as you will surely fall in love with your sweet and adorable grandchild. Hearing the long awaited words “grandma” or “grandpa” from the lips of your most precious grandchild will definitely make your heart melt.
As a grandparent, you will play a vital role in taking care and nurturing your grandchild. It will be fun playing and taking care of your precious bundle of joy, especially seeing him or her grow. Sooner or later, your daughter or son will ask you to babysit for them so you have to prepare and do your research to make sure you are up to date with the most recent approach in child care and safety.
Here are important tips to keep in mind:
Give love and affection
Back to Sleep way
Car seat safety
Offer assistance
Know your boundaries
Relax. Enjoy it!
Give your grandbaby lots of attention, love and affection. Infants love to be held and hugged because it makes them feel safe and secure.
Always remember to place your healthy grandchild who is less than a year old on his or her back when you put them to sleep. This will reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), which is also referred as “Crib death.” According to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, SIDS is the leading cause of death in infants between 1 month and 1 year of age.
It is very important to keep your grandchild safe at all times, especially when riding a vehicle.
Before taking your grandchild for a ride, make sure you have the right car seat that is properly installed. According to statistics, car crashes still remain to be one of the leading causes of infant injury and death. It will be helpful to read the owner’s manual of your car and the car seat instructions for guidelines on how to install car seats correctly. Just to be on the safe side, you might also want to have the child seat inspected for free. If you are interested, you can call 1-(866) SEAT-CHECK to schedule an inspection with one of the nationally certified car seat technicians. You can also visit www.seatcheck.org for more safety information.
It gets very tiring to take care of a newborn. Most often than not, new parents get very tired due to lack of sleep so most likely they will need some assistance. Your son or daughter will surely appreciate it when you offer assistance whether to babysit, cook, pick-up groceries, do laundry or run other errands. However, it is advisable to ask first what they would like you to do. Don’t just jump in.
As a grandparent, of course you want the best for your grandchild, but keep in mind that the final decision still belongs to the parents. It’s okay to give tons of advice and suggestions to your son or daughter as they might find it very helpful. However, be very careful not to go overboard as this might cause some family issues. When in doubt, always use your best judgment.
Being a grandparent is very fun. In fact a lot of people would agree that it is one of the best jobs in the planet. This is because you are free of any parenting responsibilities and stress so you can just focus on loving your grandchild and making them smile. The best part is that you can take care and play with them, but when they cry or act up, you can always hand them back to their parents! Isn’t that nice?
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About the Author: Catharine D. Allado is a Senior Care Expert and the COO of SeniorCareHomes.com – A trusted and comprehensive online directory of Senior Care Homes such as Assisted Living, Nursing Homes and other types of Senior Housing in California, Florida, New York, Arizona and the rest of the United States. SeniorCareHomes.com also provides FREE Assisted Living options to help seniors and families find the best Senior Housing on the planet!
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Catharine “Kate” is a Certified Administrator for Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly (RCFE) and an Expert Senior Care Advisor. Kate’s grandmother battled Alzheimer’s Disease and Kate personally understands what millions of families are going through. Kate and her team are very passionate in empowering Seniors and their families by providing them with the Best Available Senior Care Options based on Senior’s care needs, preferred location and family’s budget.
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