"Grandparenting " course, would you go? ?

Having worked in childcare mainly pre school children and babies, this is something that's not for me but.... courses that teach 1st aid to help save the life's of babies and children would be beneficial, I've renewed my paediatric 1st aid every 3 years, which is always good to refresh, and any updates/new things to do/learn

No to the grandparenting course, yes to the first aid course.

'Rules' change. My baby daughters slept on their tummies at the top of the cot. The rule now is for babies to sleep on their backs at the bottom of the cot.

Simply answer, no (thank-you)

M0nica

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 completely agree and it also made me smile

I thinks it’s “interesting” how trends change! I had baby number one at 26, next one at 39, one at 42 and final one at 44 🫣🫣🫣 (yes I was mad!)

The changes between Baby one and number four were phenomenal, as was the new advice/guidelines. The ily things I really took on board was being slightly more careful about what I ate and drank whilst pregnant and sleeping (for cot death more than anything) I didn’t do baby led weaning and they all had solids way before 6 months as they were hungry, many baby yogurts, mashed bananas and stewed apple.

Guess what? All survived and a pretty fit and healthy!

Cossy lots of babies survived with the different advice we were given but an awful lot of babies didn't compared to the advice given today.
I also had my babies widely spaced at 23, 30 and 39 and you're right, the changes in advice were phenomenal but even thought I wondered if the changes were really that important, I would never have forgiven myself if I hadn't followed the advice and something had happened to my baby. It would be even more devastating if it happened to my grandchild because those decisions are not mine to make.
I know several babies who have died with the causes being given as SIDs. The ripple effects across those families have been tragic. My DIL lost her brother when she was 5 and it still affects her today. My aunt will have her SIDs baby's name carved across her heart when she dies; she is in her 80's and lost her beloved little girl in her 20's.

I think everyone is in the same page when the GP AC relationship works over GC but sometimes things do get out of sync so there is a need for guidance in handling tricky stuff when either side becomes defensive and barriers go up. First aid training is a good idea.

no one can train you for these things if it’s not in you already some ppl love kids and some don’t. I had a neighbor who was horrified when she found out she was going to be a grandparent even now the child doesn’t have a bond with her. Her son was brought up with his dad and stepmom and they adore the child. Before I moved she used to hate my lot visiting but like I said you live in a house you expect to see kids

No nuts or peanut butter now, before a certain age.
Grapes, cut in half rather than whole.
Sleep positions change all the time, and it seems swaddling is back.
That was a huge no-no when I had my girl.
Baby lead weaning - no idea about that except to say I have heard of babies gagging and regurgitating the food they've chosen.
"Kind hands" instead of smacking.
No pate, no cream cheese..

I brought up three children. I haven't forgotten how!

Nope I would not attend. Grandparenting should be as unique as parenting skills are.

Sago

I would certainly do a paediatric first aid course.

Yes. I did exactly that when I first started to look after my DGD. It was a three hour course that gave me a lot of confidence in up-to-date methods of dealing with things such as choking. Well worth the small amount of time and money..!

Maybe I would go. The world is different now and there are risks to our young people that we are not equipped to deal with. My children go for gentle parenting and I needed to learn how that works. We are never to old to learn a new approach!

Only in the 21st century would this question even be asked 🤔

From time immemorial grandparents particularly grandmothers have been helping to raise their grandchildren.

My great grandma looked after my dad and and siblings.
My grandparents lived afar but I stayed with them most school holidays, without the accompanying child care manual

My mum sadly died, but my dad was a hand's on grandfather.

We are hands on grandparents.

Must admit we having a couple of practice runs before becoming grandparents helped 😆

In my opinion, parenting classes are far more important. The emphasis should be on teaching parents what their role is and that grandparents are there to help out when needed, not be substitute parents. The things that some grandparents put up with are unbelievable.

My 2 daughters have both survived and my youngest grandchild is 14 so I am doing okay. If they needed to tell me anything they did. End of story.

icanhandthemback

I absolutely agree with the SIDS stuff and this is one of the pieces of advice I took very seriously, however all of my babies did sleep in my bed on occasions, I wish those cribs which clipped onto the side of the parents beds.

Even the advice around peanuts and peanut butter has changed now, with some practitioners advising pregnant women to eat regular small amounts of these things.

Cossy, most advice is given after significant research so I guess the advice about peanut butter is probably following that.

I did discuss with DiL some things had changed from when I’d had my Son… and as babies I did listen. But from an early age, the boys used to tell Mommy and Daddy… Nannas house Nannas rules… Now aged 8 and 11… their rules… poor Grandad is run ragged 🤣😂🤣

I think it would be of more use for those anticipating the possibility of becoming a parent to attend a course. Some seem to have the idea that GPs will become unpaid carers, and take criticism without uttering a word.

Grapes, cut in half rather than whole.

Cut lengthwise, not across, and quartered lengthwise if they're big.

Sleep positions change all the time, and it seems swaddling is back.

Just the upper body though, the legs need to be left loose or it can cause hip problems.

The main point that is heavily stressed at our childminders' paediatric first aid courses (six hours online study and six hours face-to-face, plus an exam at the end, every three years) is the danger of liquid laundry and dishwasher detergent tabs.
Apparently children think they look like jelly sweets and bite into them, with disastrous consequences from the resulting internal chemical burns.
Last autumn we were told about a case where a child was admitted to hospital and it was ten days before the parents could be told if they would survive or not 😥
It really is a serious problem and these items need to be stored out of reach and out of sight.

I actually teach an online grandparents course, though not one featured by the Guardian, alas. The focus of the course is not to "teach" people "how to be grandparents" or "how to look after babies". I sat in on a course that did that once and it was utter rubbish and super patronising.
Instead I focus on the research which has emerged in the past 30 years about infant development, the microbiome, brain development, the ingredients in formula and breastmilk, supporting parents' feeding choices, weaning, allergies...loads of stuff really and we often end up discussing how to manage changes in family relationships and dynamics.
The people who come on my course are intellectually curious and above all aware that things do not remain the same in any field. They certainly do not think my course is "ridiculous", @Nanna8! They are always a pleasure to meet, and running the sessions is the high point of my month as I get to meet such interesting people albeit on a Zoom call. I always follow up with a bulging online information pack of links to reputable resources, research, videos etc etc.

That sounds far more interesting. 🙂

sarahcyn

I actually teach an online grandparents course, though not one featured by the Guardian, alas. The focus of the course is not to "teach" people "how to be grandparents" or "how to look after babies". I sat in on a course that did that once and it was utter rubbish and super patronising.
Instead I focus on the research which has emerged in the past 30 years about infant development, the microbiome, brain development, the ingredients in formula and breastmilk, supporting parents' feeding choices, weaning, allergies...loads of stuff really and we often end up discussing how to manage changes in family relationships and dynamics.
The people who come on my course are intellectually curious and above all aware that things do not remain the same in any field. They certainly do not think my course is "ridiculous", @Nanna8! They are always a pleasure to meet, and running the sessions is the high point of my month as I get to meet such interesting people albeit on a Zoom call. I always follow up with a bulging online information pack of links to reputable resources, research, videos etc etc.

That sounds like a wonderful resource and exactly the sort of thing I’d have loved to take when becoming a new grandparent for the first time - as it was I spent a lot of time reading articles on such things myself. Because you’re right - ideas change and having more knowledge is wonderful