So, You're Raising Your Grandkids: Tested Tips, Research, & Real-Life Stories to Make Your Life Easier

So, You're Raising Your Grandkids: Tested Tips, Research, & Real-Life Stories to Make Your Life Easier

by Harriet Hodgson MA
So, You're Raising Your Grandkids: Tested Tips, Research, & Real-Life Stories to Make Your Life Easier

So, You're Raising Your Grandkids: Tested Tips, Research, & Real-Life Stories to Make Your Life Easier

by Harriet Hodgson MA

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Overview

According to the US Census Bureau, more than 10% of all grandparents in the nation are raising their grandkids, and the number is going up.

You may be one of these grandparents and it's a role you never expected. Willing as you are to assume this role, you have some questions. How will I find the energy for this? Is my grandchild normal? What if I "blow it?" Each day, you look for ways to make life easier.

Help has arrived. This inspiring self-help book for grandparents raising grandchildren will:

•Help ease your worries and guilt

•Offer tips for creating a grandfamily

•Give methods for improving grandparent-grandchild communication

•Suggest ideas for how you can connect with your grandchild's school

•Provide child development information

•Recommend approaches to help your grandchild set goals

•Stress the importance of having fun together

•Offer ideas of how to foster your grandchild's hopes and dreams.

So, You're Raising Your Grandkids blends Harriet Hodgson's unbelievable grandparenting story with recent research and findings. It comes from her 21 years of caregiving experience, including seven years of raising her twin grandkids. Each chapter ends with What Works, proven tips for grandparents raising grandkids. At the end, you'll cheer for all the loving grandparents—including you—who are putting grandchildren first.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781608081899
Publisher: Boutique of Quality Books
Publication date: 05/01/2018
Pages: 160
Sales rank: 791,159
Product dimensions: 6.00(w) x 17.10(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Harriet Hodgson has been a freelance health and wellness writer for 38 years, is the author of 36 books, and thousands of print/internet articles. She is a member of the Association of Health Care Journalists and Minnesota Coalition for Death Education and Support. Hodgson has cared for three generations of family members—her mother for nine years, her grandchildren for seven years, and her disabled husband for four years. She has appeared on more than 18 talk radio shows and dozens of television stations, including CNN. A popular speaker, she has given presentations at public health, Alzheimer's, grief, and caregiving conferences. Her work is cited in Who's Who of American Women, and World Who's Who of Women, and other directories. Hodgson lives in Rochester, Minnesota with her husband, John. For more information about this busy wife, author, and caregiving, visit www.harriethodgson.com

Table of Contents

Foreword Kenneth J. Doka, PhD xvii

Introduction 1

Chapter 1 The Growing GRG Trend 5

How Did You Get Here? 5

The Commitment to Care for Your Grandchild 6

Reasons for the Trend 9

A Daunting Role 12

Guilt, a Monster in the Room 15

Family Ethnicity and Culture 17

What Works 20

Chapter 2 Grandparents Make Sacrifices 21

Loss of Peace and Quiet 23

Lower Income and Poverty 24

Marriage Problems 27

Loneliness, Isolation, and Depression 31

Health Changes and Challenges 35

Compare Losses and Gains 37

What Works 39

Chapter 3 Why You Are Grieving 41

Shadows of Grief 42

Types of Grief 44

Anticipatory Grief 45

Post-Death Grief 48

Helen's Values 49

Grief Support System Checklist 51

How Kids Express Their Grief 52

The Happiness Choice 57

What Works 59

Chapter 4 Creating a Grandfamily 61

Begin with the Basics 62

Hodgson-Welby Household Rules 64

Identify Responsibilities and Tasks 66

Legal Matters 68

Have Fun and Tell Stories 69

Plan Parent Visits 74

What Works 76

Grandfamily Photo Album 77

Chapter 5 Communicating with Grandkids 83

Your Voice 84

Keep Sentences Short 86

Be an Active Listener 89

Use Three-Part Assertions 92

Behavior + Feelings + Affects = Assertion 92

Reading Aloud and Communication 93

What Works 95

Chapter 6 Grandkids and Learning 97

School Connections 98

Barriers You May Encounter 100

Infants and Preschoolers 102

Helping with Homework 103

Parent Conferences: Should You Go? 106

Grandparents as Life Teachers 108

How to Be a Good Role Model 109

What Works 111

Chapter 7 Stress and Its Impact 113

Pain of a Child in Pain 114

Behavior Problems 117

Healing Power of Art 119

Outside Interference 121

Health Care and Stress 123

Stress of Raising Grandkids 125

What Works 127

Chapter 8 Boosting Children's Goals and Dreams 129

Goal-Setting Steps 130

Free Time and Fun 133

How to Give Constructive Criticism 136

Making Progress 137

Who Am I Now? 139

Time to Celebrate! 140

What Works 144

Conclusion 145

Appendixes

A Some Helpful Websites 147

B A GRG's Bill of Rights, by Harriet Hodgson 149

C 10 Tips for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren 151

D Words to Know 153

Bibliography 157

About the Author 169

Index 171

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