Thoughts for the Week:

It can take a while for children to adjust when someone outside the family becomes one of their major caregivers. That's why it's so important for caregivers and parents to develop a partnership with one another. Sharing information about the children, understanding one another's caregiving styles, traditions, cultures, and expectations, can help these new partners better understand each other. There may be mixed feelings in a caregiving partnership -- love, guilt, anger, competition, trust and mistrust. But it's important to remember that the healthier the relationship is between parent and caregiver, the easier the caring situation becomes for the child.