ABSTRACT
One of the keys to being a successful grandparent is finding ways to be helpful and supportive that are appropriate for our grandchildren's ages, their parent's needs, and the particular stages in their lives. This chapter discusses the stages that one grandchild would go through: the Infant, zero to eighteen months; the toddler, eighteen months to three years; the preschooler, three to seven years; the schoolchild and preadolescent, seven to thirteen years; the adolescent and young adult, thirteen to twenty-one years; and adulthood, when grandchildren are no longer children. One's development as a grandparent is intimately linked to their grandchild's transition through the developmental cycle. It's important to keep in mind that every individual experiences each stage and makes each transition in a different way.
