This Grandma believes the best thing we can do for our grandchildren is to promote a strong and loving relationship between their parents. Of course, we are also role models of a strong relationship, but most important is the strength of the intimacy and love between their parents. After all, there are enough studies that show conflict between parents destroys children and divorce is detrimental to children.
Sunday, May 19, 2013, the Sun Sentinel had an article, “Take a Vacation to Boost Love Life.” A survey reported in the article found 88% of those polled said they were somewhat likely to be intimate when taking a vacation with a spouse or partner. In addition, the study said that couples who vacationed three or more times a year were more likely to be satisfied with their love lives than those who take two or fewer vacations a year.
Another Expedia survey reports that Atlantic City is the top choice for intimate vacations! This Grandma says it goes to show that where the vacation is does not really matter. How long the vacation is also does not matter.
It seems that the study concentrated on sex more than intimacy, the intimate connection that life on a daily basis interferes with. That is why this Grandma’s view is that it is our responsibility to babysit for our grandchildren at least one overnight (24 hours) quarterly to promote the intimate connection between their parents and give them respite from life interfering with their intimate relationship in the best interests of our precious grandchildren.
This is really a win-win for us. The parents need to leave their house to go anywhere and leave their electronics home. We grandparents get unfettered spoiling time. I remember holding my baby grandchildren for hours watching HGTV without the parents complaining about the channel. I remember extra long bath times with bubbles for the toddlers until their fingers were prunes. I remember pizza and ice cream for breakfast. Still do. I remember pajama days–all of us never getting out of our pajamas all day long. Alone time with grandchildren, making messes at their home, not ours, without their parents around, is so much fun. But, I digress.
This alone time for intimacy is not so easy to encourage as you think. Life, the reality of life, the lack of time in life, the hardships of life interfere. We grandmas must do the planning and the encouragement and watch the calendar. We grandmas must be the facilitators for the parents. This responsibility is the best thing we can do to make our grand children’s lives better.
Time is what we have more than the parents of our grandchildren. Let us use the time wisely to care for our grandchildren so our children rekindle intimacy to make them a strong and happy team for life’s harsh realities. Smiles the parents return with bring smiles to our grand children’s faces which brings us.
Joy,
Mema
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