Founder and CEO of The reThink Group, Reggie Joiner, is joined by his daughter, Hannah Crosby, and host, Kristen Ivy, to talk about the role grandparents play in children’s lives and how parents and grandparents can partner together in parenthood.

YOUR CUE

  • Have conversations. As time goes on, new parenting rules are created — what was done years ago in parenting may not be as relevant today as it was back then. That’s OK! Grandparents and new parents should talk to each other regularly about the expectations when caring for their grandchild/child. When everyone is on the same page, you can work together to do what’s best for the child, which is the ultimate goal.
  • Remember there’s a learning curve. It takes time to learn anything new, right? So grandparents and parents, show each other grace. Yes, grandparents, you raised your child in a certain way and they turned out fine. And yes, parents, there has been research that shows (insert your latest findings here). This is a time when everything is new — for both the grandparent and the new parent. Be patient with each other and put your egos away.
  • Get trustworthy, consistent adults in your kids’ lives. Parents, there will come a time when your kid won’t want to talk to you first, if at all. That’s OK — it’s just a phase. But you’ll want to make sure you have some trustworthy, life-speaking adults in your kids’ lives when they need to talk about something big. Grandparents can be that for your kid, so start the process now by letting your children’s grandparents in.

EPISODE RECAP

Parents: How many times have you heard your parents say, “Back in my day…” when it comes to something related to parenting? And grandparents: If you had a nickel for every time your kid said, “Well, latest research shows…,” you’d be rich, right?

Navigating parenthood and grandparenthood (is that a word?) can be tricky, especially when both sets of adults are first-timers. There’s so much newness and so much no one knows (but think they know) that it can create some tension, especially when everyone involved thinks they know what’s best for the child.

In today’s episode, we’re joined by Reggie Joiner, founder and CEO of The reThink Group, and his oldest daughter, Hannah Crosby, as they hilariously discuss the ups and downs of being a parent and grandparent in today’s world. As a parent, if you’ve ever wondered how to talk to your parent about what you want for your kid’s health when your kid’s at their grandparents’ house, or grandparents, if you’ve wondered what’s the best way to communicate your opinions, you’ve got to tune in to today’s episode! The episode features discussion about real life conflicts between parents and grandparents and helpful conversation starters.

Got a particular question about parenthood or grandparenthood that’s been particularly mind boggling? We want to hear it! Click here.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

QUOTES IN THIS EPISODE