The Grandparents Guide to Preparing the Nursery
Discovering that your child is starting a family has to be the best news a Grandparent can receive. Just imagine watching your son or daughter passing down traditions and lessons to the next generation and realizing you were a big part in making that happen! You've spent so many years teaching and nurturing your child the best way you know how. And now your child is no longer a child, but an adult about to embark on the powerful journey of becoming a parent!
Grandparents have a very special gift of wisdom and experience. Not only do they have many years of hands-on parenting under their belt, but they have the ability to help with all the other challenges that you won?t find in textbooks. As a grandparent, your first natural instinct could be to ask, "What can I do to help?" You just found out the wonderful news and the gears in your head are already turning, trying to think of all sorts of ways to help your son or daughter prepare for parenthood.
Getting the Nursery Ready
Helping your son or daughter prepare the nursery is a very important task. After baby is born, the majority of the first year will be spent in the nursery. So if you are able to help your son or daughter with creating a comfortable and functional nursery, you will definitely help alleviate lots of financial stresses which are a big part of starting a family. Plus, chances are you have already gone through the process of creating your own nursery, and can provide useful insights based on your nursery preparation experience.
To help give you direction on where to start, here are some helpful tips on how grandparents can help with preparing the nursery:
1. Cleaning Duty:Mommy may be feeling tired or experiencing pregnancy symptoms, so cleaning and clearing the room for the nursery will be a big help. Call on the troops to help out as well. It may take a while to move furniture, throw out clutter, clean the nursery and even paint.
2. Take Inventory: Look in the attic, dust off the cobwebs and bring out the old baby items. Baby clothes, bibs, blankets, toys and pictures are all great keepsakes that you can be passed down. But be sure they are still in good condition (no loose threads or parts) and thoroughly, properly cleaned to avoid any safety hazards. Baby's also have sensitive skin so at the very least, you don't want to cause an allergic reaction. Worst comes to worst, your baby stuff can be used as sentimental nursery decor.
3. Shop for Nursery Furniture:
The most important item in the nursery is the baby crib and should be the first thing you buy. If you need ideas on finding the best crib, you can check out Simply Baby Furniture?s Baby Crib Video Series that will provide lots of helpful tips on how to choose the perfect crib for the nursery.
Next essential nursery items are the Changing table and dresser, or if you need to save space, a nifty combo dresser/changer.
The parents will need a safe and functional area to change baby?s diapers, and of course a good place to store all their baby items. And if you are feeling extra generous, a nursery glider is highly recommended for feedings, rocking baby to sleep, great for momss recovery after delivery, and provide extra comfort for mom or dad.
4. DIY-Mania: You can shop for nursery decor based on mom and dad?s chosen nursery theme, or you can add a fun and sentimental touch by Do-it-Yourself projects. Have a good understanding on what the nursery theme is and share your ideas first with mom and dad. You can try creating: a scrapbook, photo collage, quilt, hanging mobile, knit clothes/blankets, wall art, stars on ceiling, etc. Or best yet, you can think of a DIY project to do with mom, which would be a great bonding experience!
5. Baby Supplies: After the nursery furniture is put together, it would be a great gesture to get baby items such as diapers, wipes, changing and bath supplies, baby bedding, etc. Mom or Dad will have their hands full, so making sure the nursery is fully stocked with necessities is a great help.
Even if you are on a budget, offering your help and advice is a great gift to mom and/or dad, and will provide an incredibly helpful start to their next phase in life as new parents. But remember, your advice is there to help, not to lead. Let your son or daughter drive the decision-making, offer your advice as a helpful source and leave it at that. Hopefully these nursery preparation tips provide you with some direction from a grandparent?s perspective. Congratulations and Good Luck!
