A new study suggests that when grandparents help take care of toddlers, it doesn't have a big impact on the well-being of the toddlers' mothers.
The researchers found that having extra help from grandparents didn't necessarily make the relationship between mothers and children closer or reduce conflicts between them.
Let's find out more why it doesn't always help.
More about the research
The study looked at data from a group of mothers and their children.
They couldn't find a strong connection between children spending time with grandparents at age three and having better social and emotional development when they were seven.
It also didn't seem to make mothers feel better or improve their relationship with their children when the kids were three.
The researchers believe that it's important to invest more in the mental health and well-being of both children and mothers during early childhood.
In this study, many parents said that grandparents were the main source of childcare, and they didn't have a lot of other support.
However, the study also noted that poor mental well-being in mothers at age three predicted that their children would have social and emotional problems at age seven.
So, taking care of mothers' mental health is still crucial.
Conclusion
In summary, while grandparents can help with childcare, it may not have a big impact on the well-being of mothers and children, and it's important to pay attention to the mental health of both during early childhood.
