Study says raising children near their grandparents has a great benefit

1. It provides a built-in support system

A study out of the University of Oxford found children who are close to their grandparents have fewer emotional and behavioural problems and are better able to cope with traumatic life events, like a divorce or bullying at school.

2. It increases kids' resilience

Other research suggests that having an intergenerational identity, or an understanding of one's family history and where they fit within it, can make kids more resilient and help them feel more in control of their lives, even when the world outside their family seems out of control.

As Bruce Feiler notes in his book, The Secrets of Happy Families: How to Improve Your Morning, Rethink Family Dinner, Fight Smart, Go Out and Play, and Much More, psychologists studying resilience in children after the September 11 terrorist attacks found those who knew a lot about their family history were better able to cope with stress.