Some grandparents are in a position to provide regular child care for employed homeschooling parents. Not all families can afford for a parent to stay home full-time and today there are more and more homeschooling families with two parents in the workforce, and there are also single parents who are working and homeschooling.

If you are in a position to provide regular child care, your grandchildren will get the benefit of loving care, while their mom and/or dad have their minds at ease about who is watching their kids. It benefits everyone when parents and grandparents set up the details about this arrangement ahead of time so everyone knows what to expect.

Other grandparents aren’t interested in or able to provide regular child care, which is a huge commitment. Some grandparents feel that they already raised their family and aren’t interest in providing full-time care for grandchildren.  If that is the case, you may still be able to be available for special occasions when parents need to be away, want to have a break, or need to focus on a particular child.

If you live close enough, you might be able to take on a specific and limited “errand” that one or more of the kids needs on a regular basis. For example: You could agree to take the children to the library once a week or to a homeschool group. These regular errands would give Mom and/or Dad a breather and will be a much-anticipated event for the grandkids.

Other grandparents are “activity chauffeurs,” shuttling some of their grandkids to music lessons, Scouts, or sports practices either on a regular basis or especially busy times. This can lift a huge logistical burden, and you will value your time in the car with the kids.

You might also be able to watch the kids at home, while Mom and/or Dad attend a homeschooling conference, or just get away together for a date night or weekend.

If you are in a position to help with child care—on any level—your adult children will feel blessed and appreciate any effort you make to help ease their daily stresses and responsibilities of homeschooling.