Families For Life | Every generation adds something special to your child's life

It is often said that it takes a village to raise a child. Children who grow up surrounded by multiple generations benefit in ways that extend far beyond what we can provide as parents.

From the wisdom and values taught by grandparents to the diverse perspectives offered by extended family, a broader family network can truly enrich a child’s life.

Providing emotional support for your child

One of the biggest advantages of involving your child’s grandparents in their lives is the emotional stability they bring. They can serve as a calm presence and offer alternative listening ears for your child. At the same time, research also shows that their involvement tends to result in fewer emotional and behavioural problems in children, particularly issues resulting from divorced and separated families.

Ultimately, kids will feel more loved and supported when they know there’s someone beyond Mom and Dad who cares deeply and can offer advice or comfort.

Helping with parenting

For many working families, having grandparents and other relatives help out with childcare is invaluable. They can help reduce the burden of juggling work and parenthood by helping with tasks such as babysitting, sending and picking up your kids, or simply being there so that both parents can take some well-deserved rest.

It isn’t just about convenience. It’s also about managing the stress of parenthood, especially for first-time parents, and creating a more sustainable rhythm to your life.

Having multiple role models

Children who interact regularly with multiple generations can learn from different role models. Grandparents can teach patience and wisdom, older aunts and uncles may show them the value of resilience, and younger cousins could provide opportunities to learn social skills if you are a single-child family.

In this way, extended family members contribute not just to caregiving but also helping children develop emotional intelligence by observing life through different perspectives.

However, multiple generations come with multiple challenges too

You know the drill. Differences in parenting styles, expectations, and values can lead to misunderstandings within the family. That’s why intentionally agreed boundaries, mutual respect, and open communication are key to bridging generations.

When parents, grandparents and extended family discuss expectations such as rules about food, discipline, or curfews, everyone knows what the baseline is. This clarity helps avoid friction and allows each generation to add something special to your child’s life without sweating the small stuff.

Putting it into practice

Involving grandparents and your extended family can be as simple as having dinner together to letting them put your child to bed. Allow your child to participate in activities like handicrafts or gardening with them for enjoyment and learning. It’s about making space for multiple generations in ways that feel natural.

In the end, every generation brings something special to the table. From wisdom to experience, values, emotional warmth, and a whole lot of fun, when we allow children to benefit from these broader networks, their world becomes richer, and families become stronger.