Five Tips for New Grandparents
My granddaughter was 6 months old when her parents introduced “baby-led weaning.” My daughter and son-in-law placed pieces of finely chopped food on Annie’s high chair tray. The idea was to allow her to explore different tastes and textures, while learning how to eat by herself safely.
Frankly, I was appalled. When I was a young mom, I spoon-fed jars of baby food into my 6-month-old’s mouth. Annie didn’t even have teeth yet! Her parents were giving her adult food, too, albeit in tiny or pureed portions.
As a grandmother, I’ve struggled to keep my mouth shut on multiple occasions. I failed on this one. I thought it was foolish and said so. My daughter assured me that she was following her pediatrician’s guidance. Sure enough, at 2½, Annie is an adventurous eater with a varied, healthy diet.
I should have known better. After all, I’m a proud graduate of a two-hour virtual grandparenting class given through the Perinatal Education Program at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital in Stanford, California. Classes for new grandparents are popping up around the country. Most share the same origin: New parents in baby groups begged instructors to educate grandparents about how things have changed since they raised children. “We realized that getting everyone on the same page would definitely help,” says Packard’s community relations manager, Nancy Sanchez.
The reality is that standards of baby care have evolved over the last generation, and the more informed you are, the easier it will be to navigate a relationship with the new parents.
Child safety is paramount
Maybe you decorated your child’s crib with bumpers, blankets and toys. But your grandchild will probably be zipped into a “sleep sack” — a sort of infant sleeping bag — and laid atop a single sheet on a crib mattress. All those warm and fuzzy extras, including teddy bears and pillows, are now considered smothering risks. That cute mobile won’t be up for long either. As soon as baby can grab it, it becomes a strangling hazard.
Up your lifesaving skills by taking an infant CPR course. Learn to safely install new car seats, which are far more complicated than earlier versions. Many police and fire departments offer free inspections.
Practice online safety
Your grandchild is the cutest human ever born. I know — so is mine. But you must follow parents’ rules about posting images of your grandchild on social media. They’re likely savvier about the risks and privacy implications of online exposure.
To learn about more tips for new grandparents, from AARP, CLICK HERE.