Top 20 things grandparents learn from grandkids - from building LEGO to emojis

23 January 2024 , 08:56

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Nearly all grandparents feel they have a 'special bond' with their grandchildren (Image: Drazen/Getty Images)

Grandparents have revealed the top 20 things they have learned from their grandchildren, including how to build LEGO sets (25%) – and how to have fun (42%), according to a study.

One in five (19%) say their children's children have taught them how to use emojis or do TikTok dances, while 44% have been educated on the characters in the latest TV shows.

Modern music and slang are also among the things picked up from grandsons and granddaughters, as well as which celebrities and social media platforms are considered “cool” – and simply how to be yourself.

As a result, the survey of 2,000 grandmas and grandpas revealed that a whopping 94% feel they have a “special bond” with their grandkids. And 90% are happy to help out more with their grandchildren, in order to strengthen this bond.

They even feel like they learn more from their grandchildren than they did from their own children when they were young – such as how to download music or work a tablet, which didn't exist when they were raising their own kids.

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In fact, the older generation claim to gain invaluable knowledge about tech and social media from their children's offspring – with 81% saying that playtime is where they learn most from each other about the technological advances of today.

And as part of spending more time with the youngsters, 87% feel a responsibility to make sure their home is safe.

A spokesman for Gas Safe Register, which is highlighting the importance of being clued-up on gas safety measures around the home, said: said: “Having a close relationship with grandparents can be incredibly rewarding for everyone involved.

“Not only do the youngsters get to spend time with their grandparents, but the older generation get to learn from them, and experience the world through their eyes at the same time. The time the two generations get to spend together is precious.”

The research revealed 92% think spending time with grandchildren helps keep them young at heart – and more than half (54%) feel able to spend more quality time with their grandchildren than they did with their own kids when they were young.

Meanwhile, 31% of those polled, via OnePoll, believe they’re relied on to watch their children’s kids “much more” than they asked their own parents back in the day.

To help ensure their grandchildren are safe while they are over, three-quarters of grandparents (74%) keep all dangerous or unsafe objects locked away or out of reach, and nearly half (46%) confess to being more clued-up on home safety measures than their own adult children.

Two-thirds (67%) have smoke alarms fitted, and ensure they’re tested regularly, while 55% stay on top of having their gas appliances serviced annually.

Yet, despite 60% ensuring they have a carbon monoxide alarm fitted and tested regularly, less than a fifth (16%) were able to correctly name all the signs that one or more of their gas appliances could be unsafe or faulty.

Some of the lesser-known signs included a lazy yellow or orange flame on your gas hob or oven (47%), dark, sooty staining on or around gas appliances (53%), and hissing or whistling sounds from the gas appliance (55%).

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Gas Safe Register’s spokesman added: “As more and more parents rely on their own mum and dad for childcare, making sure every home is in tip-top condition when it comes to safety is paramount.

“However, what’s clear from today’s research is that there’s a misguided confidence among grandparents when it comes to gas safety.

“It’s vital that people are clued-up on how to stay gas safe within their homes – to help protect both themselves and their loved ones from the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, gas leaks and, in some worst instances, fire and explosions.”

TOP 20 THINGS GRANDPARENTS LEARN FROM THEIR GRANDCHILDREN: