Do you ever have the opportunity to attend an athletic event for children? It is my good fortune to do so on a fairly frequent basis. Over the past decade or more I’ve watched a lot of soccer, football, basketball, baseball and hockey. And I’ve also enjoyed watching preschool ballerinas and novice musicians. I get to do this because my grandchildren are busy growing up, and these activities are a good part of that growing up experience.
During those musical or athletic events my thoughts may wander. And as I look around, I may see other parents and a few grandparents in the crowd. Sometimes both parents and all four grandparents are in attendance. When I see such a thing, I think to myself that the child who is the center of attention for those six people is quite likely to experience success. The child may not win the game. They may not perform the best on the piano. But as life goes on, with the support of these six people, they are likely to experience success in those things that are most impactful and important. They are likely to have a sense of confidence and encouragement that will enable them to overcome the obstacles, challenges, setbacks, and discocuragement that are part of the journey of life.
As I say this, I understand that most grow up without these six cheerleaders in place. In fact, by the time a child reaches the age of 18 most, more than 90%, do not have these 6 people (two parents and 4 grandparents) still in their lives. Parents may go their separate ways, grandparents may do so as well. And life (as well as death) happens. Grandparents and parents sometimes exit the child’s life prematurely. Life for most of us is not ideal.
So, does it make a difference to have grandparents involved in the lives of their grandchildren? The answer, not surprisingly, is yes, it does. Research indicates that frequent interaction with grandparents is associated with many benefits for grandchildren. Grandchildren are more likely to experience improved cognitive abilities (i.e. smarter), improved psychosocial well-being (i.e. more friends), and increased physical activity (i.e. stronger and healthier). And those benefits carry over into adulthood. [1] [2]
Much has been said (and no doubt more will be said) about child rearing attitudes and strategies. It is wise to carefully consider how to raise healthy, happy and productive children. Can children grow up in the absence of a parent or a grandparent and still be healthy and well adjusted? Of course they can. In fact, most do. I just think that the children who have the attention and involvement of both parents and all four grandparents have the deck stacked in their favor, and they would do well to count their blessings.
Perhaps less obvious is the benefit derived by grandparents. Not only does the child benefit by having the attention of the parents and grandparents, but those same parents and grandparents derive great benefit as well. I have often commented on the mutually beneficial relationship between little children and their grandparents. For some reason, little children naturally have some affection for their old, tired, and sometimes grumpy grandparents, and those grandparents have a similar seemingly inexplicable affinity for their grandchildren. The shared affection between grandchildren and grandparents can do so much to make those “golden years” even more golden.
So, what are some of the benefits for grandparents? Studies have demonstrated that grandparents do benefit by interacting with their grandchildren. Some of the benefits include improved mental health – with fewer symptoms of depression, more life satisfaction, enhanced cognition and slower cognitive decline. (I’d like to believe that cognitive decline is not inevitable. Regardless, it appears that having those little ones around has some benefits.)
Another big problem that may occur in later years is loneliness. Loneliness is a major problem in the world, enough so that the surgeon general of the United States issued a proclamation warning about the adverse consequences of loneliness. So decreased loneliness and increased social connectedness are additional benefits of having those rambunctious grandkids around. I might add that some of the benefits can be lost if the involvement becomes too intense or is not voluntary – so don’t overburden the grandparents with too many childcare duties. In my opinion, it is well to let grandparents do the grandparenting, and parents do the parenting, recognizing that those roles are not the same.
Overall, the available information indicates that positive, non-intensive engagement with grandchildren is associated with significant psychosocial and cognitive benefits for grandparents. So, is my son correct when he suggests that I ought to pay him for the opportunity to spend time with my grandchildren? He may not be serious, but he’d probably accept the money. And, as already noted, the grandchildren benefit as well.
What a great deal that is!
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And if you want a few references, see below –
- Actforyouth.org
- Childstats.gov
- 1. The Protective Effect of Caring for Grandchildren on the Mental Health of the Elderly: A Structural Equation Modeling Analysis.
- Yang X, Yin D.
- International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2022;19(3):1255. doi:10.3390/ijerph19031255.
- 2. Grandparenting and Subjective Well-Being in China: The Moderating Effects of Residential Location, Gender, Age, and Income.
- Wang S, Li SA, Hu W.
- Social Science & Medicine (1982). 2022;315:115528. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.115528.
- 3. Grandparent-Grandchild Relationships, Generativity, Subjective Well-Being and Self-Rated Health of Older People in Chile.
- Herrera MS, Galkuté M, Fernández MB, Elgueta R.
- Social Science & Medicine (1982). 2022;296:114786. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.114786.
- 4. The Health Impact of Intensive and Nonintensive Grandchild Care in Europe: New Evidence From SHARE.
- Di Gessa G, Glaser K, Tinker A.
- The Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences. 2016;71(5):867-79. doi:10.1093/geronb/gbv055. Leading Journal
- 5. The Impact of Caring for Grandchildren on the Health of Grandparents in Europe: A Lifecourse Approach.
- Di Gessa G, Glaser K, Tinker A.
- Social Science & Medicine (1982). 2016;152:166-75. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2016.01.041.
- 6. The Maintaining and Improving Effect of Grandchild Care Provision on Elders’ Mental Health-Evidence From Longitudinal Study in Taiwan.
- Tsai FJ.
- Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics. 2016 May-Jun;64:59-65. doi:10.1016/j.archger.2016.01.009.
- 7. Keeping Us Young? Grandchild Caregiving and Older Adults’ Cognitive Functioning.
- Caputo J, Cagney KA, Waite L.
- Journal of Marriage and the Family. 2024;86(3):633-654. doi:10.1111/jomf.12945.
- Leading Journal
- 8. A Prospective Study of Grandchild Caregiving and Late-Life Cognitive Function in Taiwan (1996 to 2015).
- Hsu YT, Grodstein F, Liu TH, Kawachi I, Chen JT.
- American Journal of Epidemiology. 2025;:kwaf085. doi:10.1093/aje/kwaf085.
- New Research
- 9. The Protective Effect of Taking Care of Grandchildren on Elders’ Mental Health? Associations Between Changing Patterns of Intergenerational Exchanges and the Reduction of Elders’ Loneliness and Depression Between 1993 and 2007 in Taiwan.
- Tsai FJ, Motamed S, Rougemont A.
- BMC Public Health. 2013;13:567. doi:10.1186/1471-2458-13-567.
- 10. Are Grandchildren Good for You? Well-Being and Health Effects of Becoming a Grandparent.
- Leimer B, van Ewijk R.
- Social Science & Medicine (1982). 2022;313:115392. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.115392.