Holiday Grandparents Visit
Survival Guide

Holiday grandparents visit survival guide.You love your mom and dad. The kids love them. They love you and the kids. So why is a holiday grandparents visit so tricky?

Well, for starters, there's that whole generation gap thing. Even though your mom and dad adore your kids, they're probably not used to having little ones underfoot anymore.

If you're not around kids much, you forget how much noise they make, how messy they are - and how needy they are. And that often translates to your not feeling totally comfortable in your own parents' home.

This holiday grandparents survival guide can make the visit a little more pleasant this year for everyone.

Create a Safe Play Area

If you have infants or toddlers, you have to have some area that's safe for them to roam.

That doesn't mean grandma and grandpa have to childproof their whole house. But if they could just childproof one room, you could at least put little Blake down somewhere.

If not, create a safe play area for the kids in a nearby room. Bring your own portable playpen and the kids' favorite toys, and you're good to go.

Set Parameters (and Perimeters)

That said, do not let the kids have the run of Grandma's house. Even if she insists it's OK. Your parents need their privacy. Set down limits on where the kids can and cannot go.

Remind Kids to Behave

Explain to the children that even though Grandma and Grandpa are family, it's their house, and they must behave like guests. That doesn't mean not to have fun, but it does mean they must use their manners.

Ask before they get snacks or turn on the TV. And no roughhousing - unless Grandpa starts it, of course.

Holiday Grandparents Visit Survival Guide Ground Rules

If you feel comfortable, talk to your mom or dad about what the rules of the house are these days. Don't assume that the rules for your kids are the rules you grew up by. People change.

Encourage a Family of Volunteers

Ask your kids to help out. Just because they aren't home doesn't mean people are going to wait on them hand and foot. Give each child a couple of things they can do each day to help grandma and grandpa. But check with them first.

Grandma may not want Jessica setting the table if she's using her best china and crystal. And the kids trying to help grandpa shovel snow may just be getting in the way.

Take Family Breaks

Now and then, give yourself and the grandparents a break. Take the kids away and let the grandparents have the house to themselves for a while to regroup.

They are older than you. They have their routines, so help them keep their sanity, too.

Holiday Grandparents Visit Survival Guide to Grown-Up Time

They love their grandkids, but you're their pride and joy. Plan some adult time together. Get the kids to bed early so your parents can enjoy just being with you.

Bring Your Own Holiday Entertainment 

Suitcase on floor packed with children's items and toys.Bring along kids' favorite toys.

Pack toys, books, and games for the kids. Relax your rules on TV watching. Keep them quiet and amused. You - and everyone around them - will be thankful.

Create Win-Win Options

Don't put the kids in losing situations. They're not dolls your mom can put on display for her friends to admire. They can only sit still for so long.

Don't expect them to make it through a long, formal dinner. Norman Rockwell was wrong on this one.

Lose the Spouse

They're not his parents. Get him to take the kids to a park so you can enjoy being a daughter again - and actually have time to talk to your family.

If they're his parents return the favor in advance during this holiday grandparents visit by excusing yourself and the kids for a while so he can get reacquainted as a son. What a concept!







You Might Like These:

  • These holiday organizing ideas for kids bedrooms do two great things: they get rid of fallen-from-favor toys and free up space for incoming gifts from Santa.

    Holiday Organizing Ideas for Kids Bedrooms

    These holiday organizing ideas for kids bedrooms do two great things: they get rid of fallen-from-favor toys and free up space for incoming gifts from Santa.

  • These Christmas organizing ideas are designed to make the weeks ahead a joy rather than a burden for you and yours.

    Christmas Organizing Ideas for Seasonal Scheduling

    These Christmas organizing ideas are designed to make the weeks ahead a joy rather than a burden for you and yours.

  • Keeping holiday greenery fresh. Anyone who's tried decking anything with holly knows it can dry to a crisp indoors in a day. Here's how to keep holiday greenery fresh.

    Keeping Holiday Greenery Fresh

    Keeping holiday greenery fresh. Anyone who's tried decking anything with holly knows it can dry to a crisp indoors in a day. Here's how to keep holiday greenery fresh.

  • Holiday entertaining with kids. During the holidays, most parties are family affairs. These tips for kid-friendly holiday entertaining can help make your soiree enjoyable for guests of all ages.

    Holiday Entertaining With Kids

    Holiday entertaining with kids. During the holidays, most parties are family affairs. These tips for kid-friendly holiday entertaining can help make your soiree enjoyable for guests of all ages.

  • Preparing for holiday entertaining is as simple as fine-tuning a few little pesky details now so that entertaining will be a piece of cake.

    Preparing for Holiday Entertaining

    Preparing for holiday entertaining is as simple as fine-tuning a few little pesky details now so that entertaining will be a piece of cake.

  • Keeping holiday garland fresh - and green - especially indoors, is a challenge. These tips for keeping greenery fresh can help.

    Keeping Holiday Garland Fresh

    Keeping holiday garland fresh - and green - especially indoors, is a challenge. These tips for keeping greenery fresh can help.

  • Kid friendly family parties. While it's great to spend even more time with our kids and our friends' kids at family parties, more bodies (regardless of size) mean more work. Here are a few ideas.

    Kid Friendly Family Parties

    Kid friendly family parties. While it's great to spend even more time with our kids and our friends' kids at family parties, more bodies (regardless of size) mean more work. Here are a few ideas.

  • Have an organized New Year. A new year offers a fresh chance to better our homes and lives. We've survived the holiday whirlwind; now it's time to plan for an organized new year in 2022

    Have An Organized New Year: 7 Resolutions

    Have an organized New Year. A new year offers a fresh chance to better our homes and lives. We've survived the holiday whirlwind; now it's time to plan for an organized new year in 2022



Enjoy this page? Please pay it forward. Here's how...

Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?

  1. Click on the HTML link code below.
  2. Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.