embracing the joys of grandparent ingGRANDPARENTS

Today’s

courtesy of

101Grandparenting

embracing your newrole in life

and UniqueBaby GiftIdeas

Web-SavvyGrandparenting

Is your home grandchildproof?

Grandparents’Guide toSupporting theNew Parents

Great

Your child just delivered the news that you aregoing to be a grandparent. Perhaps the thought thatyour baby is having his or her own baby brings backsome nostalgic memories for a moment until it hitsyou - you’re going to be a grandparent! For manybaby-boomers, the realization of grandparenthoodis met with a flood of mixed emotions. On the onehand, you’re probably excited about the nextchapter in your life, but knowing you’re going to bea grandparent can also make you think that you canactually feel yourself ageing.

Relax – you aren’t your grandparentsLike many people in the baby boomer generation,when the word “grandparent” comes to mind youmay still have the image of old people wearingsupport hose with sensible shoes and bifocals. Notso anymore! Today’s grandparents are far moreactive than their predecessors and have the vitalityand energy to be physically active in theirgrandchildren’s lives.

Living better through health and scienceToday’s grandparents are also much more healthconscious than previous generations—fromwatching their intake in fats and cholesterol totaking up an exercise program or lifting weights.With all the wonders of modern science at ourfingertips, people are living longer and stronger thanever before. There is also new hope on the horizonto treat diseases that debilitated grandparents only ageneration ago. In other words, the future looksbright for the grandparents of today.

Embrace your new role inlifeEvery child that enters theworld gives birth to newgrandparents. With over 4million births each year inthe US alone, you will bein very good company. Ifyou had a grandparent inyour life that helped toshape the person you aretoday, then you know howimportant your role can bein the life of yourgrandchild. Accept this newrole joyfully and with love inyour heart. A grandchild ispart of the legacy you willleave behind, so embracegrandparenthood andmake life grand!

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Making LifeGrand

According to the US CensusBureau:

56 million grandparentsreside in the US

67% of Americans aged 45and up are grandparents

75,000 Americans becomegrandparents each month

The average age of a first timegrandparent is 48

5.7 million grandparentshave at least one grandchildunder age 18 living withthem

28% of preschoolers withemployed mothers are caredfor by a grandparent

2.2 million children residewith both a grandmother anda grandfather

Grandparents spend $30billion dollars annually ontheir grandchildren

Embracing the Joys ofGrand-Parenting

Facts&Figures

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Don’t:Don’t assume anything. Don’tassume that your presence isalways welcome or that you willbe on hand when the babycomes. Each new parent hasdifferent ideas and preferences!

Don’t offer advice unless youare asked for it. While this maybe difficult, particularly sinceyou have a wealth of your ownexperiences to draw from, yourchildren will feel moreconfident and empowered asparents if you let them maketheir own decisions.

Don’t compete with the othergrandparents. There’s enoughlove to go around for everyone,so share time with other familymembers graciously.

Don’t feel guilty if you areunable to do what is asked ofyou, either physically orfinancially. Remember, yourlove and encouragement is thebest things you can provide toyour children andgrandchildren during thisexciting time.

As a new grandparent, your firstinclination is probably to be on-hand around the clock to helpyour children with their newbaby (and to sneak a littlespoiling in along the way).However, while some newparents may need and want agreat deal of assistance in thebeginning, others may not needfull-time support. Want to behelpful without becoming ahindrance? Check out our do’sand don’ts below to help youfigure out how to assist the newparents with their exciting newrole:

Do:Offer love and support. This isan exciting and challengingtime for new parents, sochances are they’ll need yourhelp in one form or another.

Start cooking! By preparingsome nutritious meals, you canhelp ensure both parents keepup their strength for those longsleepless nights. Considermaking a few dishes that can beput in the freezer and defrostedwhen needed. If you live in adifferent city, you can also hirea caterer to prepare a week’sworth of dinners ahead of time.

Volunteer your cleaningservices. Your kids mayappreciate any vacuuming,

dusting or laundry services youcan offer. If you aren’t able todo this or don’t live nearby,offer to hire and pay for acleaning service.

Run errands. If you live closeenough to do so, offer to pickup dry cleaning, DVD’s or evensomething for dinner and dropit off without staying for a visit.

Baby-sit. Offer to take baby outfor a walk. This will allow a newmom time to shower, take anap, run to the store or justhave some time to herself. You can also offer to baby sit sothe couple can have an eveningout once they’re ready.

Practice diplomacy. Eventhough you may have adifferent opinion, never implyto your child that he or she isdoing something incorrectlywith the baby. New moms anddads need encouragement andtime to learn the best methodsfor parenting their baby, sothey’ll appreciate the courtesy.

Give a once-in-a-lifetime gift:cord blood banking. If you’refinancially able, offer to pay forbanking your grandchild’sumbilical cord blood, or considerstarting a college fund that youcan continue to contribute tothroughout the years.

How to offer the rightkind of support to new parents

Help withoutHindrance

3GRANDPARENTSToday’s

In reading through a gift registrylist before a recent baby shower,I was struck by the changes thathave occurred in babyequipment since my childrenwere born. There were so manyitems I was unaware evenexisted. In fact, it took hours tomake my shower gift selectionbecause I was completelydumfounded by the amount ofitems that are now considered“must haves” for new parents.

It doesn’t seem that long agowhen expectant moms had abasic layette, crib, changingtable, car seat, stroller, playpenand a rocker. When I was a newmom, baby carriers were justbeginning to gain in popularity,and electric breast pumps wererare but available through thelocal hospital. They also greatlyresembled a plastic bicycle hornand took a great deal of time touse. I can even remember whenmy baby slept in a hotel drawerlined with a blanket and placedon the floor.

Those days are gone forever.Today, you will find more babygear than our generation couldever have imagined. Fortunately,many of the latest items alsomake parenting more convenientand your grandchild’s life muchsafer than those available ageneration ago. Take a look atsome of the best recentdevelopments in baby products:

Portable Cribs – These days, thereare sturdy, portable cribs that folddown to the size of a suitcase and

can be stored in a closet. Becausethey are so light and portable,you can easily place them in anyroom in the house.

Easy to Clean High Chair –Fisher-Price makes a great “EasyClean” High Chair with aremovable tray that can beplaced in the dishwasher. Theremovable chair pad can also beplaced directly in the washingmachine, making a quickclean-up a cinch.

Bouncy Seats – The plasticinfant seats that youremember have now beenreplaced with these bouncingseats that even have a toy baror head mobile to keep yourgrandchild constantlyentertained.

“Nanny Cams” – Today, babiescan be monitored throughcarefully placed audio and videosurveillance equipment referredto as “Nanny Cams.” Thesedevices can be useful to helpparents keep tabs on how theirchild is being treated by a nannyor babysitter when they are notat home.

2-in-1 Infant Car Seat/Stroller –The latest infant car seat nowcomes with an anti-rebound barto minimize secondary impactshock, and energy-absorbingfoam that lines the car seat forextra support for the baby’s headand body. Installing the car seatis quick and easy, and it can alsobe secured to the stroller to createa convenient travel system.

by Debbie Davis

A Grandmother’s Guideto the Latest Baby Gear

New Toys for Today’s Baby

While 17% of all toys arepurchased by grandparents,many are dumfounded as towhat type of toy to buy theirnewest grandchild. Here’s aquick list of some great toy giftideas for your little one:

Mobile Activity Gyms - These toysallow your grandchild to touchand activate lights and soundssimply by kicking or waving atoverhead toys.

Reflection Toys - Babies love togaze in a mirror to seesomething that willentertain them forhours–themselves!

Bath Toys - Thenewest bath toys aresoft, squishy andcolorful, and allow

babies to splash and play whilegetting squeaky clean.

Linking Toys - Whether linked totheir stroller, car seat or even oneanother, these toys are fun andalso help with hand-eyecoordination.

Touchy Toys - Your grandchildwill learn the difference betweensoft, bumpy, smooth and roughtextures through toys made ofdiffering fabrics and materialsthat are machine washable.

Calming Toys - Attached safely tothe crib, the toys feature softlights, gentle music and soundsthat you or your grandchild canactivate by pressing a button.Great for nap or bedtimeroutines!

4GRANDPARENTSToday’s

5GRANDPARENTSToday’s

Room Specific Safety Tips:

KitchenKeep knives, cleaning supplies and plastic bagsout of children’s reach.

If stove knobs are accessible tochildren, use protective knob coversto prevent children from turningthem.

Unplug all electrical appliances when not in use.Install cabinet door locks if cleaning supplies arestored in the kitchen.

BathroomsLock all vitamins and medicineswell out of reach.

Use a non-slip mat in the bath orshower to avoid falls.

Home OfficeIf you use an electric shredder, unplug it when itis not in use. Many new models will work auto-matically even when in the offposition. Never leave it on “Auto.”

Beware of dropped paper clips,staples, push pins, and rubber bandsthat can be choking hazards.

Secure cords to computers and monitors well outof reach of little hands.

Simple steps to a safer home

Making Your HomeBaby Friendly

Once a new baby joins the family, you’ll probably be looking

forward to many visits to Grandma and Grandpa’s house. Even

if your grandchildren are infants or are still on the way, it’s never

too early to think about childproofing your home. Before you

know it, your grandchild will be crawling, cruising and eventually running all over your house!

Following are a few tips to help you make your house comfortable and safe for your littlest guest:

Baby Proofing Basics:

Get down on your hands and knees to yourgrandchild’s level so you can identifypotential hazards.

Place child resistant covers on all electricaloutlets.

Use door knob covers to prevent access tooff-limit areas (basement stairs, garage,outdoors, bathrooms).

Shorten curtain and blind cords.

Use corner bumpers on all sharp furniturecorners.

Know the name of all houseplants in case achild eats them.

Secure any unsteady furniture.

Safety-proof your stairs with baby gates,both top and bottom.

Secure cords so lamps and appliances cannotbe pulled down onto a child.

Remove the plastic caps from doorstops orreplace them with one piece stops.

Consider taking a Basic First Aid and/or CPRclass so you can be prepared if an accidentoccurs.

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As a group, grandparents have a well-earnedreputation for spoiling their grandchildren –probably because many of you are willing to spendvery generously on them! Depending upon yourbudget, you may have a great deal of flexibility inthe range of gifts you can purchase for yourgrandchildren. Also, keep in mind that expensivepresents don’t have to be out of reach – you canalways partner with other family members to buythe perfect gift for the newest addition to yourfamily. And don’t forget that some of the best giftsaren’t necessarily the most expensive. For example,the gift of your time can be one of the mostmeaningful gifts you can offer to your grandchild.

Regardless of your budget, following are a fewsuggestions to help you determine the right giftsfor your grandchildren.

First things first: check in with the parentsBefore your grandchild is born, it’s a good idea tospeak with the parents about the best way to markthis special occasion. If you’re considering asizeable gift, it’s particularly important to ask theparents if there are particular items they have inmind for their child. Many parents also haveextensive registries or a wish list of gifts that maymake choosing the right gift a little easier for you.

The gift that always fitsMany grandparents consider giving financial giftsrather than selecting toys or clothing that a childmay not necessarily need. For example, buyingsavings bonds in the name of your grandchild isan easy way to make your contribution grow overtime. You might also consider starting a collegefund and contributing to it regularly for birthdaysand holidays to provide valuable long-termfinancial support.

Start a new traditionGiving a similar item to your grandchild each yearis an easy way to establish a tradition you’ll bothremember for years to come. Selecting books,particularly ones you may have enjoyed with your

own children, can spark a lifetime love of readingand create a special bond with your grandchild.Similarly, working with a child to build models orcraft projects will develop special memories for thetwo of you and encourages pride and ownership incompleting a task. Even passing along a belovedtoy that belonged to your child creates a tradition.Just be sure any gift you give is age appropriateand safe for the child.

Some gifts are more valuable than othersWhile toys and baby supplies will likely beappreciated, some gifts can have a far greaterimpact on the life of your grandchild. One ideafor a once-in-a-lifetime gift is umbilical cordblood banking. Blood from the umbilical cord isunique and genetically matched to yourgrandchild, and contains valuable stem cells thatcan be used to treat many life-threateningdiseases. This gift of health is not only for yourgrandchild, but may potentially be used by otherfamily members as well.

The most important gift of allFinally, don’t forget that one of the best gifts youcan give your grandchild is yourself. A gift of timespent with a grandchild is priceless. Consider acoupon for a trip to the park or a day at the zoo.Gifts of your time are not only pleasurable for youboth, but also will help to deepen yourrelationship. Your presence and influence will helpto shape the person your grandchild becomes andcreate memories that will last a lifetime.

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Gift

GRANDPARENTSToday’s

Giving

Saving your grandchild’s cord bloodstem cells can be lifesaving to your family

In addition to current uses, new medical applications for cord blood stem cells are being discovered rapidly; however, banking cord blood does not guarantee that thecells will provide a cure or be applicable for every situation. Source for Ob/Gyn claim: Blind survey, GfK Market Measures, 4/07. © Cbr Systems, Inc. • 0808 • MA01202.02

Give your grandchild every advantage for a healthy future. Saving their cord bloodwith Cord Blood Registry helpsyou protect your family, enjoy peace of mind, and:

• Enable your grandchild to benefit from breakthrough uses. Be prepared for the unknowns in life, as cordblood stem cells are showing promise in the treatment of brain injury and juvenile diabetes.

• Treat nearly 70 diseases. Cord blood has been used for decades, saving many lives from serious diseasesincluding leukemia, other cancers, and blood disorders.

Cord Blood Registry® is the world’s largest, most experienced cord blood bank and is the #1 choice ofOb/Gyns and expectant families. If you don’t save your grandchild’s cord blood today, youmay be passing up thebest medical treatment option for tomorrow.

Call CBR® today for your free information kit

1-888-932-6850Or visit cordblood.com

8GRANDPARENTSToday’s

Modern science continues to evolve rapidly, withevery day bringing new developments that couldgreatly impact the health of your grandchildren –and your entire family. One of the mostpromising areas of scientific discovery is focusedon stem cells found in umbilical cord blood.

What are Umbilical Cord Blood Stem Cells?Cord blood is the blood left in the umbilical cordfollowing the birth of a child. Although usuallydiscarded at birth, experts now recognizeumbilical cord blood as a rich source of stem cells.Stem cells are considered the body’s “master”cells, and their ability to change into other typesof cells is a new discovery that holds tremendouspromise for treating a variety of common diseases.

The Promise of Cord Blood Stem CellsNot to be confused with the controversialembryonic stem cells, cord blood stem cells arealready used to treat over 75 diseases, includingleukemia, cancer and blood disorders. In addition,these stem cells have tremendous potential in anapproach to disease and aging called regenerativemedicine, which is a broad definition of medicaltherapies focused on repairing damaged organsand tissue. Today, doctors are focusing on thepotential of newborn stem cells to:

•Repair nerve cells to heal brain and spinal cordinjuries or brain damage caused by stroke

•Regenerate cells to form new blood vessels

•Replace damaged cells to improve recoveryfrom cardiovascular disease, a heart attack orinjury

•Regenerate brain cells to treat Alzheimer’s andParkinson’s disease

“Stem cells and the prospect of regenerativemedicine have the greatest potential to save andimprove lives above almost any technology which

has come along in the 20th century,” says Dr.

Jeffrey Thurston,a Dallas-basedOB-GYN. “Cordblood willbecome evenmore importantas the researchcommunitycontinues to understand the seemingly limitlesspotential in stem cell therapy.”

Who Can Use Cord Blood Stem Cells? To date, most medical therapies using newbornstem cells within the family have treated siblings.However, your grandchild’s cord blood could havepotential benefits for multiple members of yourfamily:

Your grandchild – Stem cells from yourgrandchild’s own cord blood are a perfect geneticmatch, and could potentially be used for cell andtissue regeneration and gene therapy, as well asmany types of cancers and blood disorders.

Your grandchild’s biological siblings – It is up totwice as likely that siblings will be able to useeach other’s newborn stem cells for treatment ofcancers or genetic diseases when compared tousing each other’s bone marrow.

Your grandchild’s biological parents – Mom will beable to use her newborn’s stem cells, and Dad willshare at least 50 percent genetic matching withthe baby.

Other biological family members – According to theFDA, you may also be able to use yourgrandchild’s newborn stem cells if they are asufficient genetic match, and so could othergrandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles.

To learn more about cord blood stem cells, visitcordblood.com, or call 1-888-cordblood.

What they could mean for your grandchildren

The Miracle Potentialof Stem Cells

9Today’s

Today’s computer savvy grandparents can takeadvantage of the Internet to communicate withfamily, order gifts, and gain a wealth ofinformation on grand-parenting. Not sure where tobegin? Here are a few common websites that maybe useful.

Email Greeting CardsThere are many greeting cards that can be sent viaemail, and lots of them are available for free.Check out these sites to send some fun emailmessages to the family:www.americangreetings.com www.hallmark.com www.bluemountain.com

Online ShoppingLive far away but want to spoil your grandchild?Today, the internet makes it easy for you to sendgifts without ever leaving the house! Try one ofthe following websites for great gifts for babiesand kids:www.babysrus.com www.gapbaby.com www.gymboree.com www.toysrus.comwww.amazon.com

Grandparents MagazineHere you can find useful information, first-handgrand-parenting stories and grandparent rightsarticles. The site also includes city guides, giftideas and product reviews. Find out more atwww.grandparentsmagazine.net.

Grandparent’s WebThis website has a wide array of articles coveringtopics such as keeping in touch with yourgrandchildren and how grandparents can serve asmentors. The site also includes a “Grandparent’sSeeking Advice” feature and a free e-newsletter.Learn more at www.cyberparent.com/gran.

AARP Foundation Grandparent Information CenterUseful articles and information for grandparentsprovided by one of the most trusted organizationsin the country. Visit www.aarp.org and click on theFamily, Home and Legal tab.

Cord Blood RegistryLearn more about how saving your grandchild’sumbilical cord blood, rich in stem cells, can helpprotect the health of your grandchild and otherfamily members. Stem cells are used to treat over75 diseases, including leukemia, other cancers andblood disorders, and new uses are researched daily.Learn more by visiting www.cordblood.com.

Consumer Product Safety CommissionThe CPSC works to ensure the safety of a variety ofconsumer products, including toys, cribs, powertools, and household chemicals. Go towww.CPSC.gov for more information.

WebMDWant to learn more about health issues that havechanged since your children were born? Tryvisiting www.WebMD.com, which providescredible and timely health information.

The Web-SavvyGrandparent

GRANDPARENTS