Grandparenting Styles: Impressions By a Dayton, Ohio, Divorce Lawyer
It was truly a memorable Christmas. In the past we have usually managed to get the “family” together in Dayton, Ohio. But this year I locked the door of my law office; and my wife and I flew to Dallas to be with our son, daughter-in-law and our first grandchild – Hannah. We were fortunate enough to have been able to travel from Dayton, Ohio, to Texas to be in the hospital when Hannah was born five (5) months or so ago, but we haven’t visited in person since.
I wish we lived closer. Dayton and Dallas are a long way apart. Being proud parents (and now grandparents) we are thankful for all the photos, videos and texts we have received showing Hannah’s growth, almost on a daily basis. Hannah’s Mom and Dad have great jobs and have established a wonderful life there together. They are very happy!
Being a divorce lawyer who likes to be totally prepared, as well as a compulsive researcher, I figured that I needed to update my parenting knowledge base since my two (2) sons are now thirtyish and my baby caring skills are pretty rusty. Not only that, but I have come to find that a lot of the “child raising rules” have changed. We use to put our boys on their tummies a lot. That is a “no-no” today.
Technology has seemingly changed baby supervision, too. Every motion or baby coo is observed via the baby camera monitor. Gone are the days when the parents would put the baby down for a nap and simply listen from afar.
As part of my researching this topic, I decided to check out the various grandparenting styles and to perhaps learn how to be a better grandparent. I found all sorts of information on the subject via the internet! Some of the seemingly outdated research by Neugarten and Weinstein of the 1960’s concluded that grandparenting styles could be loosely characterized as formal, fun-seeking, or distant. Clicking through to read other articles led me to an interesting short 14 question quiz as well as a lot of information about grandparents written by Susan Adcox, a former English and journalism teacher with seven grandchildren of her own.
I read about her unscientific categories and her way of classifying grandparents, based on both research and a lot of observation. Here are her six (6) grandparent role categories from http://grandparents.about.com:
Grandparenting Styles:
Grandparent Role #1: The Pollyanna Grandparent
Grandparent Role #2: The Grumpy Grandparent
Grandparent Role #3: The Take Charge Grandparent
Grandparent Role #4: The Migratory Grandparent
Grandparent Role #5: The Crunchy Grandparent
Grandparent Role #6: The Cool Grandparent
This is a great article to read. Here is the link to the quiz – Grandparenting Styles. Out of the grandparenting styles, try and predict which one best describes you. I might have predicted a different result for myself.
I have to say that the grandparenting styles quiz results put a big smile on my face. Almost as big as watching Hannah giggle and smile when I play or read to her! It said that I am a “Pollyanna Grandparent” – that I am the traditional loving grandparent. I am SO glad that I wasn’t determined to be a “Grumpy or Take Charge Grandparent”! Perhaps the better test will be what I hear after my son and daughter-in-law have read this grandparenting styles blog article and had a chance to “grade” our grandparenting performance. Little Hannah, with your sweet personality, huge blue eyes and contagious smile, you are “The Bomb.”
If you would like more information on grandparenting styles, or would like to know more about this Dayton, Ohio attorney, please click on this link.
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Attorney Robert “Chip” Mues has been focusing his legal practice throughout Southwest Ohio primarily in divorce and family law matters since 1978. Chip is passionate about family law and has proudly published the Ohio Family Law Blog since 2007. In addition, he is the managing partner of Holzfaster, Cecil, McKnight & Mues. To learn more about him or the law firm, visit the firm’s website at www.hcmmlaw.com. Appointments are available in person, over the phone or by Zoom. Call us at 937 293-2141.
