Dear Dr. Meg,

As a grandmother, is it beneficial to stay involved with your grandchildren? I love them and we love to be together, but is there an age where they will break away? Also, have you written much about grandparents’ roles?

Sincerely,

Loving Grandmother

Dear Loving Grandmother,

Yes, it is very important for children to have the influence of good grandparents for many reasons. First, grandparents can give children what many of their parents can’t give: time. Young parents are often so busy trying to keep up with the demands of life that they don’t have an opportunity to give their children quiet, unrushed attention. That’s where grandparents can come in. We can be with grandchildren one on one and do things in an unhurried way. Children crave attention; yet with the busyness of most parents’ lives, they simply don’t get enough.

Second, children benefit from the influence of multiple generations. Your perspective as a grandmother is very different from your grown children’s when it comes to time, issues, behaviors, politics, religion – you name it. Children benefit from hearing different perspectives. This is not to condone open disagreement with a child’s parents; rather it is to encourage grandparents to…