Bonding Time with Grandparents

Bonding time doesn't necessarily have to be with just Mummy and/or Daddy. With Grandpa Tom leaving for Bhutan soon, our family decided to switch Erik's day care schedule (temporarily) up to be part-time at home and part-time at school. This way, Erik will get to bond more with his Grandpa Tom and Grandma Katy but yet the grandparents won't be overwhelmed with day-after-day duties of "entertaining" an active two-year-old. Plus, Erik also won't miss out in playing with his friends at school and still continue to learn.


Benefits of Bonding With Grandparents

1. Grandparents can provide a sense of cultural heritage and family history - this is important for Erik, especially when Mummy & Daddy wants Erik to be bilingual in Cantonese and English!


2. Grandparents provide love, best interest, and make them feel safe - what child doesn't want that feeling?

It's important for Erik to get to know his grandparents, both sets, as much as possible. With Grandpa Tom & Grandma Katy, it's easier because we live together! Grandma Katy is the all-indulging one and Erik knows it well. It's interesting to see how Erik reacts to both of them. Grandpa Tom is sometimes a bit reserved and don't know how to interact with Erik but his efforts are still there.



Gardening With Grandparents

Grandparents are really into yard work and taking care of their beloved plants. Grandpa Tom loves to garden and plant vegetables/fruits (here and there - all over our yard, mind you!). Erik, well, he loves watering as well! This evening, we finally found a common ground for Erik, Grandpa Tom, and Grandma Katy as an extended-family activity for the 3 of them. Simple watering plants!


Erik loves taking his empty watering can to his Grandpa Tom and says "Stop Yea Yea! More Water Please" (in cantonese), crouching down on the grass and setting his can out for his Grandpa to fill it. Grandpa Tom would stop his watering activity, change the nozzle to a smaller one and fill Erik's canister. That simple exchange became an immediate bonding activity for Erik & Grandpa Tom! Erik would go around our flowerbeds finding the plants that "need" water or Grandpa Tom haven't gotten to yet and give it lots of attention and water, of course!


Daddy really hopes that with the new schedule, Erik will get more exposure to Cantonese and build a solid and loving relationship with his grandparents, like he did when he was growing up in Bhutan. Daddy absolutely adores and admires his grandpa and was taken care by his grandma during infancy and well into preschool age. So it is only logical for Daddy to also want a loving and wonderful relationship for Erik!


With maternal-grandparents, Grandpa Tik and Grandma Wai, it's a bit more challenging since they do not live with us nor is Grandma Wai retired. Grandma Wai still tries her best to be an active part in Erik's life whenever she can!