“What’s the matter with these kids today?” If you remember that phrase from popular culture, you may be asking that question more and more each day as society caters to younger people. But there is help if you have to know what matters to kids, and you may be part of a large group of caring individuals looking to tend to their families.
Grandparents and extended family have always played an important role in the upbringing of children. Although large families seemed to shrink in the modern age, many grandparents and other family elders are picking up the slack in children’s needs. This can happen after a parent has died or become unable to manage the necessary duties.
A recent open house on the subject in a Connecticut community was designed to help some of these people prepare to be 21st-century guardians. The role of social media in delivering news and shaping the minds of children is of special concern. Guardians need to know how to moderate their wards’ exposure to social media.
The states of minds for children dealing with stress under parental care cannot be underestimated. “They’re coming with trauma,” according to the woman who ran the event. Something traumatic happened in their life, whether they come with a sibling or by themselves.”
An attorney may be a valuable helper when grandparents are planning to take over the responsibilities of raising their grandchildren. One with experience in estate planning can also help grandparents set up a trust for their grandchildren’s future that will protect their interests and rights, just in case the grandparents aren’t there when the children reach adulthood.