How Being A Grandparent Can Actually Help You Live Longer
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Are you someone who has or wants a big family? What about creating one? Plenty of kids go on to have plenty of kids themselves, leaving you with a large network of grandkids whom you love and who love you in kind.
There's a lot more than just personal satisfaction that comes with being a grandparent, though. Having grandkids can enhance your life in so many more ways!
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Growing Older
Aging and getting old are things that tend to get a pretty bad rep. The world pushes these very doom-filled narratives that, once you get old, you won't be able to do anything anymore. You'll become senile, decrepit, slow, or whatever awful fear they're trying to push. While yes, aging does have its impacts on the body and the mind, there's still such joy to be had in old age, including watching the furthering of your family.
Being a grandparent is already a blessing, but did you know there are actual physiological and social benefits to being a grandparent?
They're Often Happier
A 2020 study by Giorgio Di Gessa of University College London found that being a grandparent (specifically being a grandmother) increased not only the happiness but also the social engagement and overall well-being of senior folk.
"Compared to grandchildless mothers, those who became first-time grandmothers in roughly the previous year reported higher life satisfaction and lower depression, whereas those who transitioned earlier reported similar well-being," the study read.
They're More Physically Active
Turns out that being around young children, especially ones they would see often, such as their grandkids, helps keep older people more active. A study from Victoria Palmer of the Institute of Health and Wellbeing at the University of Glasgow analyzed data about interaction and play from three-generation families in Scotland. The data revealed that grandparents not only play more when they have grandchildren but that they, in turn, encourage those grandchildren to play more, serving as role models of fun.
The study concludes that being active as a family "strengthens intergenerational relationships between children and grandparents through shared routines (after school care, for example) and interests (physical activity practices)."
They Preserve Family History
Lastly, grandparents are storytellers, carrying a family's history with them until they pass it down to their children and grandchildren in turn, and that's a role that should be taken very seriously.
As a grandparent, you have the opportunity to teach young children about very important things. An AARP survey of over 2,500 grandparents revealed that over 50% of grandparents consider sharing life lessons with their grandkids to be a priority of theirs. Some of their favorite topics to talk about included morals and values, school, nutrition, and future career plans.
Happier Later
There are even more than just those three! Having grandkids helps keep your mind sharp, allows you to better understand younger generations, and, above all else, gives you a chance to nurture another young mind, helping raise it happily and healthily so it can thrive in this world.
Aging, growing older, and watching your own kids grow up, while they may feel bittersweet at face value, there are so many more beautiful experiences beneath the surface that make it all worthwhile.
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