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Study confirms that babysitting your grandkids can make you live longer and prevent dementia
Those adorable kiddos can help you live a longer, happier, and healthier life.
Jesi Halprin
07.27.21

You’ve probably heard people say. “they keep me young” when referring to their grandchildren. Maybe you’ve even said it’s yourself. It is not an uncommon phrase for people that spend time with children.

What if we told you that this is scientifically correct as a study shows that spending time with your grandchildren is beneficial for physical and mental health. Several scientific studies have shown this to be true!

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In the study conducted by the Women’s Health Aging Project in Australia where 186 women who are within the pre-menopausal stage of life were given three cognitive tests. And 120 of these women are grandmothers.

Results of this study showered that the women that babysat their grandkids performed better in the tests. These results conclude that spending time with grandchildren can help keep cognitive skills sharp and may lower the risks of having Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

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However, as the saying goes, “everything in moderation” stands true in this situation as well because the grandmothers who babysit for five or more days a week scored lower.

Another study performed at The Institute on Aging at Boston College observed 376 grandparents and 340 children for 19 years.

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Results of this study showed that based on the closeness of the relationship between grandparent and grandchild had a lower possibility of the grandparent developing depression.

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So, both parties, grandparents, and grandchildren benefit from spending time together, and let’s be honest; parents do too! Because they get to take a breath and recharge so they can continue doing one of the most challenging jobs in the world, being a parent.

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Although parents need to remember that grandparents are not obligated to babysit and still need time to themselves because too much time with their grandchildren can be detrimental to their health.

Not only can a person’s mental health benefit from spending time with their grandchildren, but their physical health can also, too keeping grandparents well-rounded.

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In a study that observed more than 500 people over the age of 70, by The Berlin Aging Study, results showed that grandparents who take care of their grandchildren have a lower mortality rate than those that don’t.

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Without getting science-y, think about how much toddlers and kids do in a day. From playing to stimulating their brains with play and homework, they need to stay sharp for grandparents to keep up.

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But again, you have to make sure you aren’t overdoing it, remembering that balance is key. If you’re a grandparent, enjoy the benefits of being one. Meaning spend some quality time with your grandkids and then send them home to their parents so you can get needed rest.

So, if you are worried about your physical and mental health declining, plan some time with your grandchildren, but not too.

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What do you think about the results of these studies? Have you experienced the benefits of spending time with your grandchildren? Be sure to watch the video below to hear more about the benefits of child care.

Please SHARE this with your friends and family.

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