For children, communication with older adults is important when visits with grandparents are called off because of the pandemic(流行病).
Even before COVID-19 sent older adults into hiding, grandparents and great-grandparents could often seem like strangers to kids. Contact might include gifts of toys meant for someone a little younger, forced piano performances by parents, and really bad jokes. So, coming up with what to say to those out -of-touch people through a camera can be hard. It can be a lot of pressure for kids.
Yet keeping up with older relatives has mental and physical health benefits for everyone. According to studies, older adults who participate in programming between generations show more happiness, better self-care. And a strong relationship between grandparents and grandchildren can lessen depressive tendencies(抑郁倾向) in both adults and kids.
Having an actual relationship with a grandparent can also help children develop qualities that make all-around great citizens. "Children are born to be me, me, me," says Tina-Anne Praas of SKIP, an Ontario-based organization. "But seeing a person who has experienced life stages pulls them away from that thinking. They can gain some worldly points of view. "
Being close with a grandparent can also help children develop communication skills, especially when they're able to learn about and compare their experiences with a grandparent's. And it doesn't carry the pressure of talking to a parent.
Tina-Anne Praas adds that students who were worried about life after graduation eagerly listen to older adults sharing their own experiences from the same time of life, 50-plus years ago. One student says, "My interactions(互动) with my grandparents encouraged me to become a physician. "
