The bond between kids and their grandparents is a strong one. A new survey shows that the mentorship and advice that kids get from these figures can even rival the one with their parents, with about half of the kids surveyed preferring the advice of their grandparents. This isn’t a bad thing and it makes a lot of sense if you think about it.

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The survey was conducted by Preply and showed that about half of kids were more likely to confide in their grandparents over their parents. The survey asked all sorts of questions, including their grandparents’ nicknames, how much time they spent together, and how likely they were to seek guidance from them.

68 percent of kids said they’d rather spent more time with their grandparents than their parents. The majority also said that their grandmother was their favorite grandparent, especially from the maternal side. “A lot of times, grandparents are able to provide more of a mentorship role for children without the day-to-day stress and responsibility of parenting,” explained Sylvia Johnson, head of methodology at Preply, to Parents Magazine.

“Often, a child can go to a grandparent for advice without fear of disappointment or judgment that might come from a parent.”

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Relationships between grandparents and kids experience less stress overall

While the results might be surprising for some parents, the vast majority of them will agree that grandparents are able to go easy on children, thus resulting in a fun and sweet bond. Most grandparents often lavish children with sweets and rewards, actions that are not common while under the care of parents, who are stuck with the day to day activities with children.

“While parents, rightly so, are wired to guide, correct, and sometimes reprimand their children, grandparents tend to be less judgmental and critical of their grandchildren's actions, so children may be more likely to drop their guard,” explained marriage and family therapist Michelle Landeros.