Some feel renewed, happy and fulfilled, while others, on the contrary, begin to perceive changes in life more acutely
Some 30-40 years ago, the average age when a woman became a grandmother was 50-55 years old. Today everything has changed: someone first babysits grandchildren at 40, and someone at 70 only hears the long-awaited “grandmother”. But what is a “young grandmother”? At what age a woman is considered a young grandmother and how it affects her self-esteem, told for RBC-Ukraine Life Coach Vitaliy Kursik.
Who is a “young grandmother”?
Is a “young grandmother” a woman who became one before the age of 50? Or one who feels young regardless of the numbers in her passport? Is there a “right” age for a grandmother?
“Society still lives by stereotypes: if you are 45-50 and you are already a grandmother, “oh, how young!”, and if you are 60 and not yet – “well, when are grandchildren already?”. But the reality is that there are no age boundaries. A woman can be a young grandmother at 40 or consider herself such even at 60. Everything here depends on a woman’s attitude to this status,” the expert explains.
He added that some feel renewed, happy and fulfilled, while others, on the contrary, begin to perceive changes in life more acutely.
“And in fact – the status of ‘grandmother’ only indicates that you have another little person in your family. And you have received a term that certifies the degree of kinship with this person,” the coach added.
How does having grandchildren affect your self-esteem?
Positive impact
- A new source of joy. The birth of grandchildren brings a sense of happiness, a new mission and closeness to family.
- A sense of being needed. For many women, grandmotherhood is a chance to feel important again, to pass on experience and love.
- Second breath. Someone starts to take more active care of themselves, to do sports, because “I am a young grandmother, I need to keep in shape”.
Possible difficulties
- Feelings of aging. Some women take the word “grandmother” as a signal that their youth is behind them.
- Changing priorities. Some immerse themselves in raising grandchildren and forget about their own needs and desires.
- Social pressure. If a woman does not want to devote herself to her grandchildren, she may face criticism from others.
How to accept a new status and not lose yourself?
Remember that it is fashionable to be a grandmother
“Modern grandmothers don’t sit in scarves on a bench – they travel, do business, play sports and lead active lives,” says the coach.
Balancing family and self
“Don’t dissolve into the role of a grandmother – leave room for yourself and your interests,” advises the specialist.
Don’t be afraid of new experiences
Grandmotherhood is not about “old age” but about a new and exciting stage in life.
“Therefore, young grandmotherhood is not an age, but a state of mind. And if you feel energetic, active and happy – that is true youth,” Vitaly Kursik summarises.
