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Are You Ready for Your Grandchild's Summer Visit?
by Audrey Van Buskirk
It's the season for sleepovers. Are you — and your home — prepared?
Preparing your home, and yourself, for a summer visit from the grandchildren can seem as complicated — and about as much fun — as preparing for a tax audit. But a little advance planning can go a long way toward making the visit memorable for everyone — without leaving you desperate for a vacation of your own.
Child-proofing — and house-proofing
Serious accidents seldom happen at home — to a child, that is. But there are legitimate fears that your prized possessions, unwashable fabrics, and pristine wallpaper may be at greater risk. First, take steps to remove any dangers to the kids — sharp edges, choking hazards, anything that can tip over with a firm push, and breakable objects within arm’s reach. Then, look to protect your things — cover or relocate delicate upholstery and antique wood surfaces that can be threatened by crumbs, grape juice, sticky fingers, or sandy feet. These are the things children are made of, but at least you can try to keep them on the washable surfaces. Or as Sharon Brenner, 59, a grandmother of three in Portland, Ore., says, when her grandchildren are coming, “First, I drop my standards."
Safety First, Second, and Third
You’ll find differing opinions online and in parenting books about the relative merits and risks of playpens, TV screens, sandboxes, and hand sanitizers, but there are some crucial safety measures you need to take:
* Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for young children in the U.S. Make sure your grandchildren's parents let you know what the kids need in terms of car-seat support, and if they're not there to help you install a seat in your own car, get help from SeatCheck.org.
* After car crashes, drowning is the second biggest accidental threat for kids. Even kids who are comfortable in the water can drown. The American Academy of Pediatrics says children under 4 can’t be trusted to “swim,” even if they’ve taken lessons.
* Most of us grew up wearing sunscreen more for the coconut scent than the protection. But sending children out in the sun today without slathering them in SPF 30 is considered on par with letting them bike on the freeway without a helmet. The good news is that several children's brands now come in convenient spray-on formulas. Apply to the kids 30 minutes before going outside.
* If Lyme disease is a concern in your area, don’t forget the bug spray — and even if it isn’t, kids often have worse reactions to mosquito bites than adults. For children, use sprays with no more than 30 percent DEET — or try the old-fashioned approach of covering them up with long pants, long sleeves, and socks.
The Fun Stuff
Preparing for the grandchildren to come is about more than safety. It's also about making them feel at home — and special. Before their arrival, make up a goodie bag stuffed with inexpensive toys and treats. “There’s just something about opening a bag,” Brenner says, that gets visits off to a great start.
Betsy Riviere, 68, a grandmother of six in Wilmington, N.C., says, “The most important thing for teenage grandchildren is to have the foods that they love, and not to complain about the health or quality of their preferences. I serve chicken fingers, Gatorade, nachos, and endless quantities of pasta whenever they visit.”
But don't go overboard: Before the visit, check with parents on their going limits for daily snacks, as well as TV, computer, and video game use. You may decide to violate those rules — it's a grandparent’s prerogative — but you should at least know the baseline.
Anything but Routine
Even on vacation, most children benefit from having a schedule. But don’t plan every hour of every day. It’s just as likely that your grandchildren will be fascinated by quiet free time with you. Sort through old family photos with them or tell tales about your own childhood, or, even better, stories about “when your parent was bad."
Still, if you do have a list of activities you're considering, let the kids help make the choices. Write a half-dozen possible outings for a given day on slips of paper, and let a child pull one from a hat. But don’t be surprised if they prefer just to stay home and talk. In today’s overscheduled world, a vacation may be the only time the kids don’t have anything to do. Let them savor it.
And keep in mind that you’ll enjoy their visit all the more if your own routine isn’t completely disrupted. If you always walk on the treadmill on Wednesday morning, don't give it up — see if your gym has childcare.
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77 Answers
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Yes, I keep the house child-proofed full-time.
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No, can you give me a week?
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| We leave things we use a lot in convenient places. We have to move meds, etc. out of the way of the 2 year old.
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| WE HAVE 4 LITTLE GIRLS, AGES 6 THRU 12, ONE BABY BOY ALMOST 2, ONE TEEN (16), TWO GIRLS 22 YEARS OLD... WE ARE READY. WE'RE IN FLORIDA-- WE'RE ALWAYS READY. THEY LOVE US MORE SINCE WE BOUGHT A HOUSE WITH A BIG POOL.... HAPPY SUMMER EVERYONE.
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| Very helpful. I just hate them eating all over the housse and not sitting at the table.
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| I AM ALLWAYS READY FOR MY 30 M/O GRANDSON...I HAVEN'T STOPPED RAISING KIDS, AND I BABYSIT FOR A LIVING. THE IMPORTANT THING IS LOTS OF LOVE...BUT DON'T BE TOO 'soft'.
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