Whether you live under the same roof as your elderly parents or not, raising children while doing so can be extremely difficult. You need to strike a balance between the two because everyone and everything depends on you. Even if it’s occasionally impossible to manage everything at once, particularly with a full-time job, you can reach a compromise to ease tensions and improve the lives of everyone involved. Here are some suggestions for handling this scenario successfully.
Train your kids to behave
If your parents are elderly and live alone, get your kids used to visiting them frequently and doing chores for them. They will enjoy their company, and the realisation that they genuinely care about them will fill their hearts with joy. In this way, you are bringing up excellent individuals the way your parents wished for you to be when you grew up. Older individuals can sometimes be a little bit tedious while rehashing the same stories, for which you don’t have time to hear all over again. They frequently gripe about everything, and because of the enormous age difference, you can’t come to an understanding. Inhale deeply, accept them as they are, and refrain from making any changes. They’re old and easily angered, so arguing with them will make you feel horrible. Nonetheless, you should instill in your kids the value of listening and to never confront someone out of respect. You may always advise playing board games with the grandparents, which will bring them together and make them more enjoyable. Yet, employing a part-time nanny won’t render you a bad mother, so whenever you have the time, you can visit them instead.
Don’t be afraid to ask for more assistance
If your children are old enough, they might be able to prepare your parents’ breakfast or lunch while you are at work. You can respectfully ask your close friends to go grocery shopping and make your parents a quick supper if no one is available to do that at home and your parents need continual attention. And if all of this weighs on you, it would be advisable to look for flexible aged care services because you too need to rest. These facilities allow residents to create their own daily schedules, giving them the opportunity to eat whenever they choose and access to registered nurses around-the-clock. The elderly are also permitted to select their own meal options and chose which activities they want to take part in. Even while it could be difficult at first to not have your parents around, you can be confident they are in good hands, and you can now finally find time to attend to your own needs.
Equilibrium is crucial
Ask your husband or a member of the family to finish one task if the doctor’s appointment and the school play are on the same day. They will assist you no matter what if they fully recognise the gravity of the problem.
Make your house accessible and safe
Try to make their everyday tasks easier if you live with your parents while you are at work. Make sure the main bathroom is close to their bedroom so they won’t have a long walk to the bathroom at night or during the day. If you and your partner have the money, it would be best to install an additional bathroom with a walk-in shower with handles and a shower chair. Just make sure the bath mats are non-slip to prevent them from falling. Get them a cellphone so they can contact you and the rest of the family in an emergency. I’m sure your grandchildren would be happy to assist your grandparents in learning new technologies, so ask them to teach them the fundamentals.
As much as we enjoy watching our children grow and mature, we frequently have a tendency to forget that our parents are also getting older and won’t be around forever. We have to realise that it’s a natural flow of life and that we can’t change what is meant to be, no matter how difficult it is to even consider the idea that our formerly healthy and robust parents are barely moving and slowly losing their memory.
