Some Interesting Facts About Grandparents Day
Grandparents have a tough role in the family
Grandparents have a tough role in the family. They often have to be the peacemakers, making sure that everyone in the extended family gets along with one another. They often have to make sure that everyone gets together even when they all seem to be busy.
There is no doubt that today's grandparents are a new breed. Many are strong and independent, and every bit as "modern" and savvy as their grandchildren. Some are traditional, others decidedly not. But different as they may be, most grandparents do share one common trait-an unabashed and limitless love for their grandchildren.
Increasingly grandparents are finding they are having to raise second generations of children as parents are finding that they can no longer look after them. There are more than 14 million grandparents in the UK, of which over 80% of them are providing regular hands on childcare, and over 60% of working parents say they regularly use their parents to help out with childcare. Financially grandparents are having to contribute more towards the cost of bringing up grandchildren.
It is estimated that over a million grandparents are being denied access to their grandchildren, usually because of unresolved conflicts between the children's parents and grandparents. Except in rare cases, parents have the legal right to decide when and if others, including grandparents, can have contact with their children. The contributions that grandparents make in the aid of their children's children is estimated to save the economy 4 billion annually. According to the Grandparents' Association, the youngest grandparent that they are aware of is only 28 and the youngest great-grandparent 54. One fifth of grandparents under the age of sixty are also step-grandparents, but many if not most enjoy warm and loving relationships with both their natural and step grandchildren.
Although there is no official world record for the number of grandchildren, The Guinness world records show that Hans and Josie Schaffer of Bedford have the largest number of grandchildren. From their eleven children they have a total of 56 grandchildren and 43 great-grandchildren. The couple said that they spend most of their year saving for presents and gifts. Despite having a total of 99 grandchildren in the family they must surely feel blessed to have this large family to love.
More often than not grandparents can be a great resource for parents to go to, they have a large amount of experience that can be used and passed down through the generations. A study at the Institute of Education, concludes that children who are cared for by their grandparents rather than being schooled in nurseries are more likely to display problematic behaviours, have increased difficulty getting on with other children, and may even be less ready for school than their peers. The Institute tracked 4,800 children of working mothers before announcing their results. While formally schooled children may be ahead of their peer group in recognising letters, numbers, colours, sizes, and shapes, many experts make the argument that most children will quickly meet standards of academic achievement once they are in primary school. However grandparents can without doubt also provide a lot of security and happiness for the children they look after.
Grandparents day falls on the 3rd October 2010 in the UK, so why not use this day to treat your grandparents and make them realise how important they are for you and the rest of your family. Perhaps you can get them some
grandparents day gifts to make sure they know how much you appreciate them. Ask them about their life and make sure you get as much information and knowledge passed down. Maybe you might learn something interesting about their life which you didn't know before.
by: Melissa Andrews
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