What to Do When Grandchildren Require Too Much Energy

As we age, the honour of becoming someone’s grandparent is amongst the best things imaginable. From the moment you first set eyes on your grandson or granddaughter, you’ll be in love with every part of them. It’s a feeling like becoming a parent all over again, but now your primary job is to enjoy this new life without the pressures that you felt with your own child.

Spending time with your grandchildren is exceptionally rewarding, but whether they’re visiting for an hour or you’ve offered to be their full-time carer whilst their Mum and Dad work, there will be times when you feel that they’re taking their toll too much. That’s absolutely fine – even parents get exhausted sometimes, and so there’s certainly no reason that an aging grandparent can’t also feel the strain!

Here are a few ways to manage things, when the grandchildren require too much energy:

Purchase Kitchen Aids

Isn’t it amazing how much a child can eat? As primary carer for even an hour, you’re likely to find yourself preparing some food. The kitchen becomes one of the hardest places to navigate as we age, which is why Meals on Wheels-type services are so popular and so valuable, but giving yourself a helping hand in the kitchen can ensure that you stay on top of your grandchild’s demands for food. With an egg boiler you can boil enough eggs for every grandchild in one go, without the risk of spilling hot water from a pan, and other helpful tools like jar openers can save you time and reduce the chance of an injury.

Use Child Safety Equipment

As a parent, certain child safety devices are absolutely essential. Others might be seen as less important, a waste of money or something that you can avoid using by moving your child away from the hazard. When you’re the grandparent, constantly pulling a toddler away from danger can take its toll on your body. Don’t be afraid to use every safety device known to man, to make your home as safe as possible. Ideally, you’ll feel comfortable knowing that there isn’t a single risk in the house for your toddler or young grandchild. Stoppers for drawers, locks for cupboards, stair gates and padded hearth surrounds might seem over-cautious, but they’ll save you a lot of worry.

Take a Step Back

Sometimes enough is enough, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Your grandchildren shouldn’t be taking every ounce of your energy. If you’re required to care for them when their parents aren’t around, don’t be afraid to say that you can no longer offer that service.

Taking a step back will enable you to continue to enjoy your grandchildren, and to create with them the memories that they’ll treasure through life, rather than becoming too exhausted to spend quality time with your family. Your own children should understand that you can no longer handle their children when you’re on your own with them, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t spend time with the whole family together.