As more and more grandparents become snowbirds and migrate south for the winter, there is concern about how it will affect their children and grandchildren. There are varying opinions on how snowbird migration affects families, probably as many as there are family members. As one little boy said: ‘We always used to spend the holidays with Grandma and Grandpa.’ And one parent commented: ‘They’re going to miss most of their grandson’s life and they don’t really seem to care much. They are choosing to be absentee grandparents. And from a young adult, ‘I had snowbird grandparents and had a terrible relationship with them because of it.’ Another opinion was: ‘They spent their lives raising children and now they are free to do as they please.’ And from a snow bird, ‘We raised our children, now is our time.’
Like everything in life, there are pros and cons. It wouldn’t be what I would choose to do, but that’s just me. It’s no different than grandparents living in a different state or province than their grandchildren. And in many cases it is the children who, along with the grandchildren, make the decision to move to another place. The main difference is that in this case, the grandparents choose to be away from their families.
The positive aspects of having a snowbird grandfather are:
– There is a good chance to visit grandparents in warm sunny weather during the cold of winter where we live.
– There are still another six months of the year.
– A grandfather can still be a good grandfather regardless of whether distance is a factor or not. There are telephones, postal mail and, of course, everyone’s favorite email and Skype.
– A snowbird’s migration to a warmer climate doesn’t have to affect family relationships if you don’t allow it.
– Grandparents who meet new friends and enrich their lives can only benefit the lives of their family members. They will be more interesting and have stories to pass on to their grandchildren and families when they see them again.
The negative aspects of having a snowbird grandfather are:
– Their own children, in some cases, resent the fact that their grandparents are not there for their grandchildren.
– Grandchildren miss grandparents, especially if there was a close relationship before they decided to become snowbirds.
– There are health situations or others that make their children connect more with them to help with the grandchildren.
In the end, though, it will be a choice the retiring couple makes based on their financial ability, health, and their own feelings about being away from family for six months of the year.