I sometimes forget the importance of grandparents. Not to me, I always remember how lucky I am to have a family so willing to be involved in our lives, like when I really need to do something and am home alone with children. Grandparents are always the first to volunteer to babysit, no matter how silly the reason you need one. I do sometimes forget their importance in a child's life.
Children need their grandparents. They thrive on the extra love, and always enjoy extra attention. They also benefit from the extra guidance. Not just learning to knock on the door when you are in the shower, or how to hide mommy's shoes, but also a different set of values. They learn that Mommy and Grandma might not always agree on everything, but they still get along. It helps them see that people see the world differently, but that doesn't make one person right and the other wrong. They also learn that people are good at different things (sure Mommy can bake, but Grandma can sew) and that the world does change and that's okay too. Grandparents are a wealth of information! There is no way that we can remember everything our parents ever taught us, and our children won't remember everything we teach them, but I do remember days with Grandma and Grandpa and some of the things they taught me that I would never learn somewhere else.
I remind myself of this every time I start to monopolize my time with my child. I want to be with her as much as I can, as time is fleeting and they grow so fast. This makes me feel that grandparents can visit, and should visit, but I stay here too. I forget that she needs to learn that other people love her and care for her, and that she is safe and can be happy with other people too. So, sometimes, I have to force myself to take the time away and let her bond with them. Sometimes it's even fun for me to get out and do something, occasionally not even something I need to do, but that I want to do.