You avoid being jealous
You don’t judge your child’s actions or decisions. You might even think, “Who would do such a thing?” You’d be shocked to find out that some people act like that. Some grandparents like to pick on “terrible” clothing decisions or “disastrous” eating schedules. Also, you never compare yourself to other grandparents.
You avoid building paranoia in your head that other grandparents are better, more loving, more beloved, and better at this than you will ever be. These intrusive thoughts become incredibly daunting for some people, and few realize it’s a problem. Unfortunately, few people realize that and change their behavior.
You only offer what you can give
The general belief is that grandparents are completely selfless. However, even if you’re retired, you still own your own time, and in some cases, offering flexible childcare might become a very long piece of string. That’s why it’s so important to consider how much time you can offer and make the arrangement as formal as possible.
Truth be told, nobody wants to sit around the table with a hired lawyer. Also, you don’t want your loving and caring offer of two afternoons a week to turn into a full week unless you’re actually willing to do that. Great grandparents don’t have an issue being realistic about their time and how tired and confident they are regarding baby-wrangling. It’s much easier for everyone when they know exactly where they stand.
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