Research Shows Smart, Happy People Usually Grew Up With Grandparents Who Did One Thing Very Well

Grandparents play an invaluable role in the healthy coming-of-age of a child. Recent findings from a study by child psychologist Kenneth Barish, PhD, found that the smartest and happiest adults were raised by grandparents who exuded compassion during their childhoods. 

Compassionate grandparents are often the fierce protectors holding down the family's roots, and ensuring that everyone is taken care of. As someone who's proud to have his own, they're some of the first people I go to for help, to ask for guidance, and to feel a distinct sense of comfort that I can't get anywhere else. 

Compassionate grandparents help in raising children who become smart, happy adults.

In general, grandparents are often the first people parents ask for help with childcare, and compassionate grandparents happily oblige. They also provide what Dr. Barish described as "molecules of emotional health." These are the quintessential ideals of grandparental love. Encouragement, attention, soft guidance, ice cream for breakfast, you know, picture-perfect grandparent sleepover stuff.

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They truly play an important role in nurturing feelings of safety and security in the family's children. This in turn helps children to become smart, happy adults. Specifically, Thomas R. Verny, MD, stated, "The lessons learned from grandparent-grandchild relationships in childhood, especially those related to spirituality and moral development, persist into early adulthood." 

When a compassionate grandparent is around to help with the kids, the experience is rewarding for the entire family. This is because the grandparent doesn't just reserve their compassion for the child. They freely give it to everyone. This is just as important because kids can pick up on family strife, and if the grandparent isn't consistent in character, the consequences can be disastrous.

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Kids benefit most from grandparents who are compassionate towards everyone in the family, not just the children.

There's a reason multi-generational households fare better than single-family households. When grandparents are around to mitigate the stressors of daily life, everyone benefits. In fact, the more different generations spend time doing activities together, the stronger the bond of the family unit. 

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Obviously, not everyone is going to get along with their grandparents, nor do all parents have good relationships with their own parents. That's why compassion is key. Family drama is something we all have to deal with at some point, and compassionate grandparents play an integral role in regulating the emotional atmosphere so that everyone feels accounted for.

Kids can tell when the adults around them are treating family members unequally, and causing them to question who is being truthful and who's not. When a grandparent models resilience and empathy for everyone through compassion, it makes all the difference in keeping the peace. 

I love my grandparents. They're involved and compassionate, and they've genuinely instilled in me so much wisdom and valuable life lessons that I've carried into my adulthood. I don't know what I would've done without them had they not been there for me when the world felt too scary and unstable. 

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Luke Aliga is a writer with a degree in Technical Writing and Communication who covers relationships, culture, and human interest topics.