If you had your choice, you would likely choose to have healthy, happy relationships with your grandchildren’s parents. Yet, you might naturally clash with your son or daughter and/or the mother or father of their children.
Unfortunately, ongoing conflicts cannot only affect your grandkids’ emotional well-being but could cause a loss of contact. As a loving grandmother or grandfather, you must do everything in your power to alleviate conflict and maintain access. Read the following advice on how grandparents can resolve arguments with parents.
Avoid Criticizing the Parents
You might believe your advice or tips are helpful, but one or both parents may view your unsolicited assistance as interference, judgment, or criticism. As a result, they might become angry, defensive, or cold toward you, which might cause tension to bubble and arguments to arise. You may need to limit your opinions unless asked a direct question to keep the peace. Also, the parents might even appreciate asking how you can help them.
Don’t Involve Yourself in Family Disputes
Your grandkids might complain about their parents following a conflict. Still, you must avoid the temptation to involve yourself in an argument. You must respond to your grandkids with empathy but avoid taking sides and even state you don’t want to become involved. Never criticize their parents, as they might use your support as ammunition for their parents. As a result, it may lead to arguments you want to avoid and cause conflict that could lead to losing access to your grandkids.
Try to Fix Issues with One or Both Parents
Your relationship with your grandkids depends on you fixing issues with their parents. Poor communication, unresolved arguments, or bitter disputes could prevent you from playing an active role in your grandchildren’s lives.
If possible, attempt to sit down with one or both parents to get to the root cause of tension or conflict, and try to put yourself in their shoes during the discussion. Unfortunately, if you cannot resolve an issue with the parents and they are denying contact with your grandkids, you must learn about grandchild visitation rights, as many courts recognize that grandparents can play a crucial role in a child’s life.
Be a Positive Influence in Your Grandkids’ Lives
Becoming a grandparent is one of the greatest joys in life. It is not only your job to provide your grandkids with much love and care, but you could have a positive impact on their lives. It is an opportunity to pass on your knowledge and interests, share skills, and support their emotional well-being. If you make it your mission to become a positive influence on your grandkids, their parents might feel happy to leave them in your care, even if you don’t always see eye to eye.
If you try to resolve past or new arguments, avoid criticizing the parents, and don’t involve yourself in family conflict, you could continue to play a positive role in your grandkids’ lives and general well-being.