The importance of grandparents in a child's life is second only to that of parents. And, in the United States with its growing population of single parent households, grandparents are finding they are becoming the primary caregivers to their grandchildren.

Grandparents have a unique opportunity. The famous pediatrician, Dr. T. Berry Brazelton once said, "Grandparents show children the mountaintops, while parents must teach them how to get there."

When grandparents and grandchildren have a chance to develop a close relationship, children feel much more secure and the benefits can reverberate throughout the whole family. These days, though, there are often obstacles grandparents have to overcome, such as living many miles away, a 50% divorce rate, and powerful stereotypes of "interfering relatives."

But even considering these things, it is still possible to build a warm and loving connection if you go about it with a sense of purpose. Even if you are not a grandparent yet, there is a good chance that you will be, someday.