The Gift of Extended Family: How Connections Enrich a Child’s Life

With Cedarwood’s Grandparents and Special Friends Day happening this week, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the importance of extended family connections. This message is particularly pertinent as the holidays draw near. Whether it’s a cherished grandparent, an honorary “auntie,” or a beloved family friend, children thrive when surrounded by a network of caring adults who bring love, wisdom, and unique perspectives into their lives. 

While balancing schedules, disrupting routines, and managing dynamics can feel challenging during this busy season, the compromise and effort to maintain these bonds serve children by building lifelong memories and connections that transcend time and distance.

Learning Across Generations

Connections with extended family, however you define that term, give children a window into different times, cultures, and ways of life. These relationships can enrich a child’s understanding of the world and foster a sense of continuity. A grandparent might share stories about their own childhood, helping a child feel connected to their family’s history, while a family friend might introduce them to traditions or customs from a culture entirely new to them.

As children engage with these valuable life lessons, they gain something even more valuable: the experience of being fully present with someone who cares about them deeply.

Unconditional Support and Guidance

Extended family members provide safety and security for children, offering advice, comfort, or simply a listening ear. As warm and loving as parents are, at times, children seek to expand their circle of trusted, supportive adults. When parents have made an effort to cultivate those relationships with intention, children are comforted, knowing that they have additional support to navigate challenges and celebrate successes, which boosts their emotional resilience and confidence.

For families without grandparents or traditional extended family, the chosen family—a close friend, a neighbor, or a mentor—can provide the same nurturing presence. What matters most is the spirit of connection and care.

The Family We Choose

At its heart, family is about love, trust, and mutual care. For some children, the most meaningful relationships come from the family they create, whether that includes a neighbor who feels like a grandparent, a teacher who becomes a lifelong mentor, or a close family friend who treats them as their own.

Our Cedarwood community is so privileged to have provided this comforting sense of family to so many of the children who have walked through our halls. We recognize that by embracing a broad definition of family, we can ensure that every child feels supported and connected, and we’re grateful to partner with so many parents, caregivers, and supportive adults who help provide this reassurance to our students.

These relationships remind them that they are loved and valued, just as they are.