AGING BABY BOOMER GRANDPARENTS SET LIMITS

WELCOME TO BABY BOOMER MEMOS
BLOG #64
AGING BABY BOOMER GRANDPARENTS SET LIMITS

Baby Boomers adore spending time with grandchildren and forming close bonds with them. We 'do our best' to help with babysitting and overall childcare. 

As years pass, aging, health issues, employment status, and assorted commitments increasingly redefine 'our best' and limit our babysitting capability and availability. Our children usually understand. Not always.

Apparently, problems arise for boomers when there are large gaps between the births of first and last grandchildren. Specifically, if our eldest child had children when we were younger, healthier, with more energy and stamina, it was relatively effortless for us to frequently babysit. And, we did.

But, if many years elapse before our youngest child becomes a parent, this child expects us to do as much babysitting for the new babies as we did for our first grandchildren.

In worst-case scenarios, boomer grandparents are accused of showing favoritism to our first grandchildren and neglecting newcomers. Is it insensitive, selfish, or plain ridiculous (perhaps, all three) for our youngest child to not notice that since our first grandchildren arrived we have gotten significantly older, acquired some health issues, and have less energy and stamina?

Solution: Rather than getting defensive, affirm that aging may have decreased our babysitting availability but not our love and affection.

NOTE
Even healthy and fit Baby Boomers admit to passing out from exhaustion after extended babysitting stints with young grandchildren.
This is one of the countless reasons why special kudos go to boomer grandparents who, due to various circumstances, take on the demanding task of becoming full-time guardians to grandchildren. Standing Ovation!

STAY TUNED
Should Boomers Retire ...

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Email: drwendykyman@gmail.com