Parent & Family Support
Suggestions for Grandparents
The
diagnosis of disability is not easy for anyone in the family. You may
be grieving for your child, and for your grandchild. You may be unsure
of how your role as grandparent could change.
Things to Remember:
- Love your grandchild and spend time with him/her
- If you live a distance away, make opportunities to interact with your grandchild – phone, Skype, cards and letters, video clips
- Let the parents take the lead
- Get information about your grandchild’s disability, attend a conference with the family if you can
- No one is to blame
- Be patient with all family members; they are all trying to deal with their feelings
- Help out when you can
- Take care of yourself; don’t do so much that you create another situation for your child to deal with
- Be wise about financial assistance for present or future
- You can join a grandparent group or go online and get ideas and information from other grandparents who have children with disabilities
Resources:
Call Parent to Parent of Georgia at 800-229-2038 or 770-451-5484 to find a Grandparent Support Group near you.
Grandparent to Grandparent Program–PACER