Science Says Maternal Grandmothers Have a Lasting Impact on Their Grandchildren’s Lives

Grandmothers are one of the best things to ever happen to our society. They are like secondary mothers to our children, who will love them just as much. But in some instances, they are less strict than the actual mothers, making them more fun for kids to hang out with.

Those are all subjective experiences, however, science says that if you have been blessed to have known your grandmothers, you probably have biological and psychological benefits than other people who did not have the fortune to do so. Let’s find out the scientist’s explanation below.

The Unique Role of Maternal Grandmothers

Grandmothers are the parents of one’s father or mother, but new studies that came out involve a specific grandmother, the one on your mom’s side. The study highlights the significant effect of a maternal grandmother being able to spend time with their grandchildren as they grew up.

Their involvement in raising the kids, such as in offering additional emotional support, or the practical assistance like changing their diapers, cleaning up after them, or baking them their favorite cookies or cake, all have a significant effect.

The simple but unrecognized help of maternal grandmothers for raising the kids actually results in better coping mechanisms and stronger emotional health once they are adults. However, most people already know this by instinct or personal experience, let’s find out next how scientific theories explain this phenomenon.

Read more: Science Daily

Genetic and Evolutionary Perspectives

CARTA: The Biology of Grandmaternal Love

The maternal grandmother gave birth to the mother, who gave birth to the grandchildren. This is one of the reasons science says that the genetic bond between the maternal grandmother and the grandchildren is stronger. This is called the “grandmother hypothesis”.

Looking at evolutionary points, for women who are past their reproductive era, the way to ensure that their genes survive is by taking care of and supporting their grandchildren. Science says that maternal grandmothers also have more X-chromosomes passed on to the grandchildren on average than the paternal grandmothers.

The hypotheses are quite accurate because the maternal grandmothers, regardless of the sex of the grandchildren, passed on 25% of their  X-chromosomes, while paternal grandmothers share about 50% of their X-chromosomes to the granddaughters but 0% to the grandsons. This means on average, the maternal grandmother’s genes are more connected to their grandchildren on average.

Emotional and Behavioral Benefits

This part of the study is more on behavioral and psychological cause and effect, unlike the scientific reasoning above. It states that children who grew up with the support of their loving maternal grandmothers also grew up with fewer emotional and behavioral problems.

The reason is simple, it is because they did not need to go through most of those problems alone, since grandmothers’ support ranges from child care, financial help, and emotional guidance. They have an additional buffer away from stressors, especially during their developmental age.

Read more: Phys.org

Implications for Family Dynamics

Why Your Grandmother Is an Evolutionary Mystery

Without knowing all of this science and psychological explanations, many culture actually already adopts this tradition. Most studies have found that a lot more families are closer to the maternal side. This is well-documented all over the United States, Europe, and Asia.

To all new families out there, it is especially important because of the reasons mentioned above for you to try to give some time for maternal grandmothers to hang out with their grandchildren. Science says it is great for the health of not only the kids, but also the parents and the grandparents.

Author's Final Thoughts

Maternal grandparents are one of the most significant people in the lives of our children, especially during the age when they are starting to feel more emotional maturity and are beginning to face a lot of life problems. Recognizing and facilitating this bond will have and lasting effect on your children, all the way to their adulthood, and maybe someday in the future, they will also do their best to let their own children spend more time with you.

Read more: Man Hired 80 People With Disabilities After Opening a Car Wash for His Autistic Son

References & Further Reading

Helle, S., Tanskanen, A. O., Coall, D. A., Perry, G., Daly, M., et al. (2024). Investment by maternal grandmother buffers children against the impacts of adverse early life experiences. Scientific Reports. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-56760-5

Chapman, S. N., Pettay, J. E., Lahdenperä, M., Russell, A. F., & Lummaa, V. (2021). Offspring fertility and grandchild survival enhanced by maternal grandmothers in a pre-industrial human society. Scientific Reports. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-83353-3

Sear, R., & Mace, R. (2008). Who keeps children alive? A review of the effects of kin on child survival. Evolution and Human Behavior. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2007.10.001

Lahdenperä, M., Lummaa, V., Helle, S., Tremblay, M., & Russell, A. F. (2004). Fitness benefits of prolonged post-reproductive lifespan in women. Nature. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature02367

Wak, G., Okyere, S., Dake, F. A. A., Awandare, G. A., & Adjuik, M. (2023). Impact of kinship support on child mortality in the Upper East Region of Ghana: assessing the Grandmother Hypothesis. PLOS ONE. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10629956/