"Grandparenting " course, would you go? ?

No. All my adult children are (with younger ones) and have been (with older ones), quite happy with us as grandparents to their children.
Reading some comments on GN I wonder if it will be good for some parents to go and find how they should treat grandparents.

I like what you say Mollygo. If I had treat my parents like some children do on here I wouldn't have seen them for dust the odd times I did see them.I certainly would not have been invited to stay if I did not respect them ,their rules and their home my DD's had to to.

No my GC are mostly in their 20/30s some with children of their own I think I’ve done enough Grand parenting over the years to know what I’m doing I’ve had no complaints thus far.

I don't think these courses are intended for people who are already grandparents.

I think the idea is a bit weird but if people are prepared to pay and find it useful I don't see any harm in it.

I thought Eve Wiseman's article was good and her own advice was sensible.

A most definate no from me . Mollgo is correct, Some AC treat their parents appalling!!! with regard to child care. Laying down the law and expecting far too much. I hasten to add that my DD were very grateful for the care I gave their children , the youngest of which is now 5 and in school. Parents seem so dictatorial when it comes to how GP look after their children . They need to remember that the emphasis is on the two words' their children ' not ours theirs!! I enjoyed my GM duty days, lots of fun - painting , baking , shopping, stories and playing out. My DDs were very happy their children were with me. The only course I should have done was a first aid course - still might !

So if a class gives someone more confidence to grandparent happily, then I’m in. After all, these are the people keeping our families upright. The true test is in dealing with these dickheads they raised first time round.

😂😂😂

Advice from professionals has changed so much since my children were babies.
For example, my babies were bathed day1 in hospital whereas GD wasn't bathed for the first 2 weeks to allow the waxy covering on her skin to be absorbed.
I think I'd attend a short course so I was clued in to the present day thinking on practicalities like that.

Surely, people discuss these things with their children.

Mollygo

No. All my adult children are (with younger ones) and have been (with older ones), quite happy with us as grandparents to their children.
Reading some comments on GN I wonder if it will be good for some parents to go and find how they should treat grandparents.

Totally agree with Mollygo. Even though my GC are almost grown up, historically it was always agreed "Nanny's house, Nanny's rules".

AC were always grateful when I was asked to step in at short notice to provide childcare etc and this occasionally meant a change to my own plans - family first and all that.

The way some AC's treat grandparents is disgraceful.

No way. Ridiculous idea.

I’m not sure, I might have done before they were born, just to familiarise myself with current thinking and trends in baby care. As I was a teacher of young children I felt fairly familiar with being with young children. I try to respect my adult children’s rules and preferences though even if it’s different than what I did.

I think if you need lessons on being a grandparent, then you probably already have a dysfunctional relationship with your AC and their partners.

There is no guarantee that what is taught in grandparenting classes will accord with your children's decisions about how their children will be brought up anyway. So they could cause more trouble than they alleviate.

I also doubt whether the grandmothers from hell, we sometimes get on GN demanding we support ttheir gross interference in their DGC's lives would take any notice of anything said in a grandparenting class.

I would certainly do a paediatric first aid course.

Acquiring a practical skill if you are likely to be doing a lot of child care may well be sensible.

In our case we live 200 miles from our DGC, now both teenagers, meant that the amount of babysitting etc we provided was very limited indeed.

Not for me.
My voluntary work is with preschool children from newborns onwards.
I chose this in anticipation of late grandchildren or none even coming. So I am practiced and it all came back very naturally anyway.

lixy

Advice from professionals has changed so much since my children were babies.
For example, my babies were bathed day1 in hospital whereas GD wasn't bathed for the first 2 weeks to allow the waxy covering on her skin to be absorbed.
I think I'd attend a short course so I was clued in to the present day thinking on practicalities like that.

But I doubt that grandparents would have sole charge of a baby from Day 1.

Most parents would leave instructions when grandparents are left in charge eg - "she's started solids this week, she's dropped her second day-time nap" etc and sensible grandparents would stick to the-rules-- advice.

I think the courses should be for adult children on how to treat grandparents once the grand children arrive!

Sago

I would certainly do a paediatric first aid course.

Agreed, and I have. You have to renew it every few years. It would make more sense for all parents to do one as well.

No. Mine are all grown up now. But if we have successfully brought up our children then we are surely able to help with grandchildren. Maybe some first aid knowledge is useful though.

If the course instructs grandparents on how to follow instructions from the parents and on how to set boundaries re childcare then I think it is needed by some.

But those are the ones who would take no notice of what they were told on a course.

M0nica

But those are the ones who would take no notice of what they were told on a course.

I doubt they'd be on the course in the first place, MOnica

Has anyone read the actual article?

Must say that if dd had suggested that I needed to go on a course in order to know how to look after 9 month old Gdd1 properly for one day a week, I’d have politely suggested that she make an alternative arrangement (and paid for it).

Luckily I don’t think such a thing would ever have occurred to her.

maddyone

I’m not sure, I might have done before they were born, just to familiarise myself with current thinking and trends in baby care. As I was a teacher of young children I felt fairly familiar with being with young children. I try to respect my adult children’s rules and preferences though even if it’s different than what I did.

This 100%. And some of the replies here show just who might need such a course. I wouldn’t go now as I’ve been “grandparenting” for some years but I would have before the first to learn the ways baby care and suggestions on safety etc have changed. As it were I spent a fair amount of time in those early days relearning to new ways - even among my own kids safety recommendations had changed from first to last and it would do grandparents well to be on top of the latest guidelines. Either to ensure the safest care if they end up caring for them on occasion or simply to help
Them better understand and respect their ac choices as parents. As evidenced here man sorely lack in that capacity. Perhaps the first lesson in the class should be safety and modern guidelines and the last how to respect and accept that your child is the parent here and therefore call the shots !