Times have really changed the role of grandparents in modern families. Today, families lead a very active life and work longer than in the past. It seemed like the grandparents' role was to spoil their grandchildren. At present, grandparents are an integral and indispensable part of family life, and science is encouraging grandparents to play this new role by confirming through a study that those who care for their grandchildren live longer.
According to a survey by OpinionWay, two-thirds of grandparents would like to have their grandchildren pictured, and they consider taking care of them permanently or temporarily is a chore. While the remaining third appreciates the time spent with the smallest because it is an opportunity to weave the family ties and to take care more.
Moreover, science supports the choice of this minority by highlighting the benefits of babysitting for the health of grandparents. Data from the Berlin Aging Study focused on the lives of 500 older people. And it has been proven that keeping grandchildren increases cognitive function, reduces the risk of dementia and the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease among seniors.
The study also highlighted that caring for grandchildren keeps physically active grandparents and helps relieve stress, which is beneficial to their longevity.
But the study also points out that overwork can cross a line of demarcation and negate these health benefits. It is therefore important to maintain a good balance of life, and even older people should not feel obliged to babysit.
Not only this benefits our parents, but also our children!
A new study by researchers at the University of Connecticut has emphasized that personal conversations with young children are important not only for the development of their language, but also for the development of their brain.
90% of a child's brain develops in the first three years of life. The brain of a young child produces billions of cells and hundreds of billions of connections every day. These links are essential for positive development progress and are the result of positive daily and repeated experiences with parents and their families.
Including grandparents as partners in developing toddlers helps to increase their knowledge and language.
Do you know that ?
A child's brain doubles in size in the first year and at age three reaches 80% of its adult size.
Child / adult interactions shape a child's brain architecture, supporting the development of communication and social skills.
What happens during the first years of life is directly related to the long-term cognitive, emotional and social outcomes of children as adults.
A child's ability to learn new information is influenced by their ability to interact appropriately with others and their ability to control their immediate impulses.
Spending time with the grandmother and grandfather is also great for the kids as it gives them the stability and emotional support they need.
This study confirms that we not only give our parents the opportunity to increase their life expectancy, by allowing them to keep our little pieces of cabbage, but in addition we allow our children to learn and grow from from the experience and wisdom of their grandparents.