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If you ever felt like you have a stronger bond with your grandchildren than your own children, you are not alone. It’s not that you love them more or care for them more, it’s just different. And now, there’s some scientific evidence to back this phenomenon…
The idea that us grandmothers are more lenient and affectionate with the grandkids isn’t uncommon, and a new study tries to explain the reality of it all with brain scans. Grandmothers were tested on how they reacted to photos of their grandchildren, other children, and their own offspring.
They say one reason women tend to live longer than men is because of the role one plays in the development of their grandchildren. Makes sense!
And when these grandmothers looked at photos of their own grandkids, the part of the brain associated with emotional empathy lit up, suggesting we are predisposed to share an emotional bond with them. Pictures of their own kids triggered the cognitive part of the brain, implying they understood their kids and what’s best for them.
There’s more research to be done on this relatively-new study, but scientists say it does support the idea that it takes a village to raise a child. And just as the brains of birthing parents and partners change, grandparents transform as well!
See what went into the study in the video below:
