Grandparents survival guide

Personally I feel comfortable at this time of my life and have come to accept myself warts and all! I particularly love being a grandparent - to 3 girls and 1 boy who range from age 15 down to 10 years old.   It’s good to reach maturity because today older adults in the UK are healthier, have life experience, knowledge and more disposable incomes than previous generations.  Other “baby boomers” (those people were born immediately after the war) have also finally grown up! Their numbers are adding to the over 60 year olds who now outnumber 16 year olds in the UK, and many of them are proud grandparents too!  Most regard this “primetime” of life a bonus, but not all agree.  Although the majority feel positive about their future sadly a minority approach older age with an extremely negative attitude.

Knowledge acquired throughout life is invaluable, and shouldn’t be allowed to go to waste.   It could be said that we mature folk are “chronologically advantaged” because we have so much to offer!  Traditionally old age was coveted in past generations, and still is in some societies of the world today.  Back then young people sought knowledge and guidance from their grandparents or community elders finding them a great source of wisdom and inspiration.  Sadly in the UK today respect is disappearing fast and ageism is a fact of modern life and we mature people must stop the rot before the young successfully trample us down. To reclaim our position in society we need to empower and re-establish ourselves as people who matter.  Mature people still have a great deal to offer, not least of which is experience.

Through early retirement many people now have time, as well as money to spend.  Free from constraints of paid work they are happily indulging their fancies, experimenting, experiencing and exploring new horizons.  So how can we successfully combine our new found independence with our family commitments and prove ourselves to be good grandparents?  A few simple rules will help us manage our role for both the families and our own survival!
 
• Learn to say no take time to think a request through
• Be interested in other people and listen to their point of view
• Start to delegate – don’t try to do everything yourself
• Get your priorities right and focus on what is important to you – don’t just let things happen
• Be selective and guard your time jealously – don’t always do things you feel you have to do
• Organise your time – don’t let others control you
• Create a routine – get a balance between hard work and having fun
• Express your needs
• Share your problems with family and trusted friends and allow them to share their worries with you
• If you have a strong point of view regarding ageism let it be heard
• Don’t be complacent utilise your power
• Defend your self esteem have confidence in yourself
• Organise your time don’t waste it
• Make certain to spend quality time with your partner and loved ones
• Don’t feel guilty about addressing your own needs
• Communicate your needs to others but be sensitive to theirs
• Confront the facts and if situations are unsatisfactory have the courage to voice your opinions and move on
• Pursue your own interests and friendships
• Don’t be hasty and think situations through before you act 
• Take time off to “stop and smell the roses”
• In the event of death or divorce allow youself adequate time to grieve
• Don’t blame only yourself for failure
• Put aside feelings of guilt and self loathing  they are destructive
• Tell people you love them before time runs out
• If at all possible make up past disagreements with family and friends

Copyright and thanks to Diana Moran http://primetimelife.tv