Children love to be around people and anyone who will take and interest in them and that’s where grandparents and older people can be a huge benefit to your kids. The in-laws may not be your favourite people but they can make great babysitters (if you’re lucky and they live close by), they’re teachers and often a fountain of knowledge, patiently sharing new idea’s or ways to do things. This time and knowledge is invaluable and when children don’t get to see their relatives it doesn’t teach them about the older generation.
Grandparents have lots of stories to tell and if you have one who loves small children they will often sit and play for hours, read to or do puzzles with, so make use of them and don’t dismiss.
How do you deal with the in-laws and what is it that you love or loath about them?
If this triggers you and brings up uncomfortable feelings or difficult memories it’s a sign we need to deal with something in ourselves or look to emulate if you admire a trait of theirs, like calmly patting and spending more time settling your child than you find yourself doing or taking them out and giving you a break.
