Do This

✓ Talk with parents-to-be before the baby is born about how grandparents will be involved. Then respect the boundaries.

✓ Learn how to secure an infant or child in a car seat, as well as state laws on proper placement.

✓ Always put infants to sleep on their back.

✓ Remember what hasn’t changed: love, snuggles, smiles, warmth, laughter. As Kennedy says, “We’re there to support our children as they begin their new journey as parents.”

✓ Be curious and supportive about gear or modern advice. Say, “Help me understand how to use this.”

Don’t Do This

✘ Don’t keep asking whether the baby has been born.

✘ Don’t use baby powder—inhaled particles can irritate babies’ lungs.

✘ Don’t routinely apply sunscreen before 6 months.

✘ Don’t make baby announcements or post pictures on social media (or anywhere else) without getting permission.

✘ Don’t add a bumper, stuffed toys or other suffocation hazards to the crib. And no blankets; only a fitted sheet and a sleep sack.

✘ Don’t swaddle a baby so tightly that it puts undue pressure on the hips.

✘ Don’t bounce or pat a baby so hard that their head shakes. —Susan Moeller

Go to aarp.org/GrandparentTips for more useful advice.