I recently told a friend not to rule out having a child at 42 and one of the reasons I believe is that a child, especially having one at an older age, keeps you younger for longer! You get to still feel needed and wanted, you hang out with younger mums, go to children’s birthday parties and are kept busy and active every single day! Now, how better for a grandparent to look after their grandchild/children? Ok, in Cyprus grandparents are at our beck and call and they tend to do the heavy babysitting load to help their children. I decided to share this article with you because it says that it is actually good for them to do so and that comes as no surprise to me! (So, mums relax and just inform the grandparents that you are indeed helping them in the long run!)
Grandparents Who Babysit Often Will Live Longer, a New Study Says:
You’re not inconveniencing your parents—calling on them to babysit could actually extend their lifespan.
Call up Mom or Dad the next time you and your significant other have a date night (without the kids). A recent study from the National Health Service has found that grandparents who babysit their grandchildren live longer than those who don’t. So not only will babysitting your kids help your parents potentially live longer, but meaningful relationships and wonderful memories will surely be formed. It’s a win-win.
The study looked at over 500 adults age 70 or older in Berlin over the span of 20 years. Participants were interviewed and underwent medical tests in two-year intervals, and were also asked about how often they looked after or spent time with grandkids without the parents present.
There were three categories of participants: caregiving grandparents, non-caregiving grandparents, and non-grandparents. Researchers found that caregiving grandparents had a 37 percent chance of living longer when compared to non-caregiving grandparents and non-grandparents. There was no difference in life expectancy between non-caregiving grandparents and non-grandparents.
So, can non-grandparents still increase their chances of living longer? Those who provided help to their adult children had a 57 percent lower risk of mortality than those who didn’t. And those who did not have children had an improved risk if they gave support to others in some way, like volunteering or helping friends.
Although this study didn’t pinpoint what exactly causes an increase in life expectancy, it reports that helping others gives people a sense of purpose, and also keeps them physically and mentally active. So instead of calling a teenager down the street this Friday for date night, try giving your parents a ring to see if they’re available to watch the kids.
If you’re a grandparent who’s at a loss for what to do with your grandchildren, try including them in your hobbies.
They’ll enjoy spending time with you and learning new things, and you’ll love the company.Get them into the garden and show them how cool nature can be—plus, they’ll love getting their hands dirty. Teach them how to knit, crochet, or sew with you. Bake chocolate chip cookies and let them be apart of the process of making their favorite treat. Even stirring and pouring ingredients into the bowl is a thrill for them.
( Taken from Better Homes and Gardens)
