by Effie Moore Salem

Created on: August 06, 2008   Last Updated: March 30, 2010

Grandparents add that extra dimension that children need in their lives.That they play a vital role in the lives of grandchildren is well known. This makes for memories that children carry with them through out their lives. Grandparents are an integral part of a child's early years. Children who do not know their grandparents are lacking in a normal part of their growing up. They are important to a child's early development because they offer a child an unhurried look at themselves. When they see themselves through the eyes of their grandparents, it's often a look they like. Their friends are rough and tumble and parents are parents, but doting grandparents are like icing on their birthday cakes. Parents love their children but their role is not only nurturing, teaching, and disciplining but is often, out of necessity, a stern boss. Grandparents are a wink and a nod and thumbs up sign telling them not to take everything so seriously.

Grandparents comes in all sizes and in all shapes and in all styles and no one size fits all. Some are in fact overburdened with grandchildren and find it a chore, but do the best they know how. Yet, ideally, most have gone this route before and now are more relaxed and can offer the child something that would otherwise be missing, that of an undemanding love. They, as they age are often overawed by the innocence they see in their grandchildren. They feel blessed in that they are getting a second look at what childhood is all about.

They were oftentimes as harsh with their children as they see their children are with their children. Now they have learned better ways and don't mind at all getting a chance now and then to put what they learned into practice. Wisely, they keep most of their thoughts on how to rear children to themselves, and just savor the time they get to interact with their little darlings.

That is the ideal. Unfortunately, too many times grandparents do not get to be the doting grandparent who can saunter through the day with their grandchild but must also take on the role vacated by parents. There's a great many grandparents who are caring for their grandchildren and who are unable either physically, emotionally or monetarily to take on this burden. Yet, they gladly do what they can to help out in emergencies.

I remember my own grandparents who loved me unconditionally and whom I loved. It was such a treat for them to visit and to show me just how much they loved me. Every child should have a grandparent who is

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