Study reveals the Impact of Grandparents on Children
There is no doubt that the role of a grandparent is truly special. Getting to know your grandparents is a gift that not everyone is lucky enough to receive. You might have grown up knowing only one or two of your grandparents or you might have been able to spend many years with all of them. No matter how much time you spent with them, it’s clear that the relationship between grandchild and grandparent is something different. They are notoriously spoiling their grandchildren, showering them with love, sharing valuable lessons, and continuing a legacy from one generation to another. It might seem like common sense that grandparents play a significant role in their family member’s lives, but now there is also a study to prove it.
Role of Grandmothers in Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences
Researchers from the University of Turku, Finland, studied data collected in a 2007 survey among 1,566 English and Welsh youths. The youths were between the ages of 11 and 16, and those who lived with their grandparents or did not have at least one living grandparent were excluded from the study. Adverse childhood experiences are used to describe “traumatic events or difficult circumstances that happened between the ages of 0 to 17”. This includes abuse, neglect, witnessing violence, living in poverty, having an incarcerated caregiver or one who has substance abuse issues. Grandmothers play a crucial role in preventing adverse childhood experiences or at least blunting the effects in some way. Children with adverse childhood experiences showed less negative effects when growing up if the maternal grandmother had offered them support in some way.
Maternal Grandmothers: The Key to Positive Childhood Development
The most interesting part of the study was that it found that the “buffering” effect was only present when it came to maternal grandmothers and not other grandparents. This reaffirms the crucial role that grandparents, especially maternal grandmothers, play in the lives of children. The study highlights the importance of the relationship between grandchildren and their grandparents, showing that it can have a significant impact on the well-being and development of children. It is clear that the love, support, and wisdom that grandparents provide are invaluable in shaping the lives of the younger generation.