The New Grandchild

The New Grandchild

This is a very important time in the lives of your adult children and in your own life.

  • Take your cues from them. Your daughter or son and their partner may want some time alone to get to know their new baby before they involve other people.
  • On the other hand they might invite you to be there for the birth. This depends on each family. It does not necessarily show how the parents feel towards the grandparents.
  • One of the best things that you can do is to support new parents in getting to know their baby. It is a time when your practical help with the dishes and washing/ironing might be more needed than to have you cuddle the baby. Your turn to do the cuddling will come.
  • Let young parents see that you think they are doing a good job when you see them doing things well. Having a baby is a vulnerable time and support and praise really helps parents, eg “You’re such a lovely mother”, “How lucky he is to have you as his Dad”.
  • When a second baby arrives, offer to mind the new baby. This will give parents time to spend with their first child who may begin to feel left out and who needs to feel special and much loved.
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