Parents want their children to be polite and responsible adults. But according to researchers from the University of Liege in Belgium, ageism is prominent among 3-year-olds. This phenomenon is extremely normal because a child learns through observation. Also, as children grow up, they gradually begin to classify people and situations they meet.
When children are between the ages of 10 and 12, this kind of thinking can change. However, in order to change the child's stereotypes about the elderly, parents can come out and provide some help. In a Lifehacker article, Michelle advised, "We must support our children to have meaningful relationships with their grandparents."
"When we described our relationship with grandparents as 'good' or 'very good', we had overall more positive feelings about the elderly than children who said less satisfactorily," Wu added.
Here's how to help your child and grandparents spend quality time together.
Help your child meet with grandparents on a regular basis. It is also a good idea to stay with your grandparents every weekend. If grandparents live far away, they can talk on the phone. Your child will know how much he loves grandma and grandpa. You can change the way your child looks at other elderly people in your community. Children returning from school will naturally call grandparents to talk, and grandparents will also have the pleasure of constantly communicating with their children.
Often, parents are overprotective of their children, and grandparents may not like the way they treat their children. However, in most cases, excessive interference with the relationship between children and grandparents should be avoided. In other words, grandparents should be allowed to play a unique role in their child's life. It is desirable to allow children and grandparents to share their hobbies. After all, the parents have the final say in their decision. Therefore, it is necessary to provide some degree of autonomy as much as the time spent by grandparents and their children.
