Add your email below for updates from another baby boomer:
|
News for the over 40 crowd.
How To Connect With Your Grandchildren
When your grandchildren were babies, all you had to do was hold them and make funny faces and they loved you. As they grew into toddlers, just getting down on the ground and playing silly games with them was enough to make you their hero. Even when they were elementary school age, as long as you paid them attention and thought the world of them, they worshipped you back.
But now that they're in the pre-teen or teenage years, it's become... well... more difficult to connect with them. These teens or tweens don't exactly make it easy, do they? This is the age when they either clam up or turn on the sulky attitude bit. The friendly inquisitive child may be gone temporarily, but remember that this stage will pass. What you need to do is work a little harder on keeping a relationship going until the going gets better again. It will get better. Remember when your own kids went through the teenage years?
First off, you need to find out what your grandkids are interested in right now, and don't be too slow about it because they may change their mind next month. You probably can't come right out and ask them directly and get good answers so you may need to talk to their parents. Ask mom or dad what extra classes she's taking, and what her favorite books, colors, tv shows, stores, actors, and movies are. Take a sneak peek through his room and see how it's decorated - the color, the posters, the magazines, the books, and the junk on the dresser. Don't snoop, just look around and get some ideas of his interests.
If you don't live close to the grandkids and only see them every so often, you'll definitely need to enlist the help of the parents to find out what makes your grandkids light up these days. Talk to mom on the phone before you talk to the kids so you know a little about what's going on in their life and don't resort to playing 20 questions.
Next it's up to you to find some common ground. If she's into the retro look, take her shopping at some second hand stores. If he likes basketball, take him to a college game. If she is learning to sketch, buy both of you a sketch pad and go to the lake for some quality sketch time.
Remember not to ask yes or no questions because that leads nowhere. If you want to ask questions, ask "Who do you like better, Dwayne Wade or Carmello Anthony?" or "Which shoes do you think look better with leggings - Uggs boots or spiked heels?" This line of questioning can lead into why and before you know it, a real conversation could happen.
Here's a sneaky tip -
Your computer is your friend, even when your grandkids are not. Take a few minutes a day to check out the latest news that might interest them so you can comment on it. You will score points if you can discuss that awful gown so and so wore to the Oscars or when you mention that amazing last second three point shot you saw on YouTube. Here's where you can go online to find cool stuff worthy of teenage discussion:
www.omg.yahoo.com For any celebrity gossip.
www.YouTube.com Take a look at the featured videos or pick a topic that might interest your grandchild.
www.yahoo.com See search tabs front and center for featured, entertainment, sports, and video.
www.google.com/trends Look at the hot trends.
Yes, you have to work at it a little harder but when you make the connections, they're all the more special. They'll also bring you and your grandchild's relationship along into adulthood where you can breathe a little easier.
 For more great reading..
click to our articles page!
.. and for even more..
check out the BLOG.
|
Like ABB?
Soy Candles - at DirectBuy Prices
Improve your retirement income by finding the best annuities
Equity Release from Age Partnership, the Independent equity release specialists. We can assist you in selecting the most appropriate equity release scheme to suit your individual needs.
Get this button for your blog!
Boomers, Read about:
|
