Were it not for grandparents soothing and solving a child’s troubles, I suspect counselors would have more business. Grandparents have experience. They have life wisdom. Perhaps above all, they aren’t Mom or Dad. Most grandparents don’t have to do the everyday disciplining of a parent. They don’t have nearly the disciplinary friction with a child, especially a teen. Thus, they may be seen as safer, more understanding. Interesting, isn’t it? As we get older, the kids think we think more like them. And that only fortifies the bonds between us.
— from Being a Grandparent: Just Like Being a Parent … Only Different!
