For grandparents and carers

Before the Industrial Revolution, generations of families grew up relatively close together and frequently in the same house.

Children were raised by all of those in the household old enough to do so and the knowledge and skills of grandparents were highly valued in the field of child-rearing. As it became easier to move to where work could be found families splintered, at least on a distance-apart basis, and grandparents’ contribution to child care became less critical as child-rearing duties fell more heavily on the parents, most particularly on a stay-at-home mum.

Nowadays, with both parents regularly working and the proliferation of single-parent families, the role of carer for young children has again been shared among a wider group, none more important than the children’s grandparents.

Unfortunately, the guidelines for how the shared responsibilities of child-rearing used to work best have been long-forgotten. More to the point, the task of caring for children has changed so much, particularly in the last couple of generations, only the basics of what worked hundreds of years ago remain relevant.

In these sessions we look at how important it is that all key carers for children are on the same page with regard to the pillars of child-raising and in particular how to develop beneficial parent – child – grandchild relationships.