A successful and happy relationship does not come by easily, especially in old age. The spark and beauty of a relationship usually begin to lose color as you age. While your children are away living their own lives and building their own relationships, you and your partner have only each other. It is now necessary for you to have a happy relationship with just your other half. If you are looking to maintain a happy relationship in old age read the 5 tips below for a happy relationship in old age.

Be Honest with One Another

You need to pursue the habit of being honest with your partner to succeed in being happy throughout your lives. Your partner and you are bound to be the happiest if you make honesty your best policy. Be truthful about what you tell each other, what you want, and what you like or dislike about each other. 

With so many years together, you probably know each other quite well. In fact, well enough to know when the other person is lying or hiding something, so don’t let it affect your relationship, and always be honest.

This will make your partner see how much you care for them. Being open to each other about everything and sharing every feeling and thought will bring you closer together in old age.

Improve the way you communicate with each other

Communication is the first step when bonding with someone. Keep your relationship lit by making your significant other feel special with your words. Say cute things to each other and exchange compliments. You’re never too old for that. Focus on what you like about each other and concentrate on the positives. Talk about everything, from sports to movies to children to neighbors.

Tell them they mean everything to you

When you and your partner have spent a significant amount of time together, you might begin thinking that they can read your heart. In most cases that is untrue. They want to be appreciated and  they are to you. So be a little expressive. This will also encourage them to do the same and ultimately result in a happier life in your old age. Remember birthdays and anniversaries and exchange gifts no matter what your age is.

Spend time together but also give each other some space

Spend as much time together as you can. The key to a happier relationship in your senior years is to be with each other through thick and thin. Go together on dates, to classes, on a walk or to the gym. This will provide you with the opportunity to find more happiness together and keep your relationship going. However, it is also important to remember that they also need some space. Give your partner time do his or her own things. They should go out with their friends as well. Similarly, you should also have activities of your own. This is important because this space will allow you to realize how much you love and miss each other. This will allow them to miss you, creating a stronger bond with you. To be happier also remember to focus on each other’s goals and aims and let each other reach them independently.  Don’t restrict each other.

Be content in your own life

Be happy. It is common for people to get depressed as they get old. There are so many worries, from children growing up to illnesses to retirement. You should not let any of this impact your relationship. Instead, find happiness and say goodbye to depression and worries. The key lies in sharing and making an effort. So let your partner know how much you love them and enjoy a beautiful relationship

One of the most basic human needs is having a family. Once we get to a certain age, the age that is allowed by our parents’ standards, they get anxious for grandchildren. They might show this directly by asking when to knit a nice cozy baby blanket, or passively, by telling us how happy their friends were at the mall with their grandchildren. The day they get to become grandparents is marked by joyous celebrations and unending gifts for the bundle of joy. However, a number of things, positive and negative, might cause them to take over the upbringing of their grandchildren completely.

• Death of parents. Death of the mother, in most cases, have caused children to be left in the custody of their grandparents.

• Work. The type of work the parent(s) are involved in might create a need for the child to be brought up by the grandparents, such as the military.

• Drugs use and drug addiction. The opioid crisis has caused most grandparents to get full custody of their grandchildren, due to the parent’s addiction or drug use. It’s not an easy step, but it gives the parents a space to battle drug addiction.

• Abuse and neglect. It’s not uncommon, in this age, for children to be abused by their parents and fail to report to the authorities, though there are laws to prevent that and punish those with the responsibility. Most of these cases are in households where there are stepchildren involved. It falls on the grandparents to get custody and protect their children.

The factors pointed above, plus others, causes the grandparents to have to take over the parenting role for their grandchildren. This creae ts a number of challenges for them, and for the children and the society at large. It becomes especially difficult for them if they are suffering from age-related illnesses or lack income to enable smooth parenting. The following are some of the challenges related to grandparents raising their grandchildren.

1. Challenges caused by disabilities. This is a two-way problem. A child could have a disability ,or the grandparents could be disabled. Talk to a professional about SSI vs SSDI. This becomes a challenge especially if there are frequent medical issues and no insurance coverage. 

2. Proper education. The children, in case of a poor background, might fail to acquire a proper education, or any at all, due to lack of funds and doing odd jobs to help support the family. Though the grandparents might be willing to do their best to support their new family, their best might not always be enough, forcing the eldest siblings to participate in earning income for the family.

3. Lack of basic needs. This challenge is also brought about by a lack of finances or a good source of income. The family might be subjected to very limited basic needs, like clothing, food, education, and sanitation. There are occasions where the family is composed of too many grandchildren, or with a number of kids from different families.

4. Exposure to drugs and abuse. Some of the children being left in their grandparent’s care were exposed to drugs in the first years of the lives both passively and actively. Others, under the same cause, have suffered emotional and physical abuse. This means that they will need constant medical care and therapy sessions to help them manage their situations. They will also need a strong support system around them.

5. Lack of legal custody rights. Since most parents refuse to give up their children willingly, the grandparents lack the legal custody rights of their grandchildren, even though they do have custody of them. This means that they might not be able to make needed decisions in terms of the children education or medical decisions. It also means the grandparents can face legal action if the parents try to reclaim their rights as parents.

Though most of these grandparent and grandchildren families live below the federal poverty line and lack finances, the joy of grandparenting is not fully diminished.  Most grandparents still enjoy the second chance to be parents and spending time with their grandkids. It gives them a new purpose in life. For the children, being brought up by more mature and experienced parents gives them a better chance at facing real-life challenges. Some of these children end up the best human beings in society.