5 Tips for Successful Grandparenting

Written by Don Schmitz


Building onrepparttar cherished connection between grandparents and grandchildren is a life-long privilege. As grandchildren grow and maturerepparttar 110954 role grandparents play inrepparttar 110955 lives of their grandchildren changes butrepparttar 110956 principals remain true at any age.

1. Boundaries are necessary for control and safety. All children need and must learn to respect boundaries. Being clear about expectations before an activity begins frees you andrepparttar 110957 child to enjoyrepparttar 110958 event and ensuresrepparttar 110959 safety of everyone involved. If you observerepparttar 110960 boundaries are being violated, don’t be afraid to remind your grandchildren again. Restaterepparttar 110961 rules as many times as necessary. Writingrepparttar 110962 rules and posting them or bringing them along is a good idea. If a rule is violated duringrepparttar 110963 activity, askrepparttar 110964 child to repeat or readrepparttar 110965 rules again.

2.Gift giving is not a requirement of grandparenting. Establish a practice with your first grandchild and stick with it; what you do for one doesn’t necessarily have to be done for all. Financial and family situations change as our children grow. If a family experiences loss of a job or divorce, don’t be afraid to make temporary changes. Gifts are gifts especially when they are unexpected. Surprise gifts arerepparttar 110966 best. Gifts don’t have to cost a lot. Research supportsrepparttar 110967 fact that “time together” isrepparttar 110968 best gift we can give. Travel provides time forrepparttar 110969 grandparent and grandchildren to discover and appreciate each other’s gifts.

3. All rules must be consistent with parents’ wishes. Anything you do with and for your grandchild needs to be discussed first withrepparttar 110970 parents. After all, parents makerepparttar 110971 rules and effective grandparents support them.

When children are asking for love

Written by Don Schmitz


Dapper Dan was a first grade student in my classroom. Unfortunately, he represents many children and grandchildren today who are asking for our love. In my twenty years of teaching, there is no child who challenged me more than Dapper Dan. He also isrepparttar child I rememberrepparttar 110953 most from my twenty years of teaching. I will never forget my first week inrepparttar 110954 classroom with Dapper Dan. He was a skinny small boy with a gorgeous smile. His smile however was displayed far too infrequently. He came from a broken home and craved love and attention.

The day this was most apparent wasrepparttar 110955 day Dan decided that he was not going to go to lunch withrepparttar 110956 other children. He had latched onto his desk with his head inside and he wouldn't let go. What was I to do? The only option I could think of was to carry Dan, his chair and his desk down torepparttar 110957 Principal's office while we went to lunch. I remember feeling like a mother duck as I carried Dan, his chair and his desk and was followed by twenty-five little first graders throughrepparttar 110958 secretary's office and into Principal Kovatch's office. Five minutes later, Dan came walking intorepparttar 110959 cafeteria withrepparttar 110960 Mr. Kovatch wearing a big smile on his face.

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