10 great ways to help out

1. Ask before coming over. It is great for the new parents to have you around and help out and of course you also want to spend time with your grandchild. It is important though that you respect that they might have plans or they just want to be for themselves so before coming over call and ask if it is a good time for them.

2. Babysitting is a great way for you to spend time with your grandchild and your daughter/daughter-in- law is able to catch up with sleep or have a shower in peace without being afraid that she won't hear the baby cry. 

3. Go shopping. If you have been out with a baby recently you know how difficult it is to do anything really. Shopping is stressful because you are trying not to wake the baby while looking at the shelves, trying to figure out what you need to buy. And as soon as you stop you hear the baby waking up so you race around the shop like a mad man and in the end you don't buy anything you really need. Then you arrive home, thankfully the baby is still sleeping and you try carrying the baby and the shopping into the flat. I live on the forth floor without a lift so you can imagine how thankful I am when someone else goes shopping for me.

4. Make dinner or lunch. As my baby was a preemie our baby had to stay in hospital for nearly two months. We left the house at 7 and I spent all day with the baby in hospital. My husband used to come after work and we left the hospital normally at about 11 to go home. We did not have time to go shopping or make food. Unfortunately our families don't live near us so most of the time we did not have one of our mothers here to mother us. But my husband thankfully has great colleagues and they prepared us food for us. It was amazing and I was/am very thankful to them. So I think it is a great way to help out. It is one thing less one has to worry about!

5. It is important that you help out because YOU want to. You probably have your own life, maybe you are still working so if it does not fit into your schedule don't pressure yourself to go over. 

6. Encourage your daughter/ daughter-in-law that she is doing great. Try to create an environment where she feels safe and confident. It will make her like having you around.  

7. Spend time with the older children! is the new baby is the second, third or forth then the older children will need your attention more then ever because their mother and father (especially their mother) have a lot to do with the new baby. Take them out in the afternoon, pick them up from nursery or school, be there or them.

8.Deal with the washing. Do you know how much washing a baby creates? I really did not think it was as much as it is. When you go over put a load of washing on or fold the clean washing that has been sitting in the dryer for the whole day. I am sure it will be very much appreciated!!

9.Go shopping for clothes with your daughter/daughter-in-law. Not immediately after birth but a couple of months later her pregnancy clothes will be too big for her but her old normal clothes will still not fit her. Suggest going shopping with her. Your job will be to be with the baby while she is trying on clothes. 

10. Keep your opinion to yourself. Do not be judgmental about decisions they make. But if you really feel like you need to share your opinion think before you speak. Try to find a way of sharing without being judgmental. Ask yourself how you would have wanted your mother/mother-in-law to speak to you when your children were little. Maybe ask them if you can tell them what you think and respect if they ask you not to. 


I think one of the most important thing to remember is that you should help out because you want to not because you feel obligated. AND ENJOY YOUR GRANDCHILD! They grow up so quickly. 

Are you a grandparent?  Tell us what did your family want you to help out with? Or are you a mother or a father then tell us how your parents helped or did not? what is a no go for you?