研究表明，祖母可能比自己的孩子更能与孙子联系在一起

许多祖父母享受着宠溺的机会，并与他们的孙子孙女有着特殊的关系。但是有时候，可能感觉你自己的母亲喜欢你的孩子（她的孙子孙女)多于她喜欢你。

我们不想告诉你，但是一项新的研究表明，你可能没有完全想象出来。

本周发表的一项研究表明，与自己的孩子相比，祖母们觉得自己与孙辈的联系更紧密。

RELATED:祖父母如何陪伴他们的同性恋孩子和外孙这项由埃默里大学人类学、精神病学和行为科学教授詹姆斯瑞林领导的研究招募了50名女性，她们至少有一个3至12岁的亲生孙子。当研究人员使用磁共振成像扫描她们的大脑时，这些妇女看着他们的孩子、孙子和一些不相关的东西的照片。

瑞林在接受《今日美国》采访时表示，当祖母们观看孙子孙女的照片时，她们会特别激活之前与情感共鸣相关的大脑区域，这表明祖母们可能倾向于分享孙子孙女的情感状态。

孙辈和祖母在公园野餐毯上的照片。

291-1.32-.079-1.995.459-1.456 2.11-1.567 2.398-.366.178.743-.292 1.716-.653 3.152-.299 1.186 1.097 2.03 2.29 1.163 1.1-.798 1.527-2.71 1.446-4.067-.16-2.703-3.125-3.287-5.005-2.417-2.157.997-2.647 3.67-1.673 4.891.123.156.219.25.177.408-.062.245-.117.49-.185.734-.05.182-.202.247-.385.173a2.212 2.212 0 0 1-.9-.675c-.827-1.024-1.064-3.049.03-4.763 1.21-1.9 3.463-2.668 5.52-2.435 2.457.28 4.01 1.958 4.3 3.863.133.867.038 3.006-1.18 4.518-1.402 1.737-3.672 1.852-4.72.786-.08-.082-.145-.178-.224-.275" fill="#FFF"/> Credit: Getty Images.

On the other hand, photos of the women's own children activated the areas of their brain linked to cognitive empathy, suggesting a mental understanding of their child but less of an emotional connection. Rilling previously did a similar study in which he asked fathers to look at photos of their children. Interestingly, he noted more emotional empathy and motivation from grandmothers than he did in fathers (though not in every case).

• RELATED: How to Handle Grandparents With Different Values Than Your Own

Ultimately, relationships are different in every family, and sometimes, grandparent-parent-grandchildren dynamics can be tricky to navigate. Some studies show that grandparents who subscribe to outdated health guidance may be harming their grandchildren. At the same time, multi-generational households have been rising for the last five years. Pew Research found about 20% of Americans lived in a multi-generational household in 2016.

Having a grandparent involved in a child's life, whether they are living with you, assisting with childcare, or visiting on holidays, can be a wonderful experience. But you may experience challenges, aside from any feelings you may have about your mom having a better connection with your child than she has with you. Here are some expert-backed tips for working through problems.

• Open dialogue. Ask grandparents how they envision their relationship with their grandchildren, including the frequency of visits. Taking this step can alleviate disappointment if grandparents don't want to be around every weekend. It can also open up a discussion on boundaries if they want to drop by unannounced, but you, as the parent, want a heads up.
• Safety first. If the grandparent is engaging in unsafe behavior, you have a right to protect your child. Be firm in your convictions. It doesn't matter if they let you ride in the front seat at the age of three without harm.
• Validate them. Parents get so much unsolicited advice, including and perhaps especially from their own parents. It's often well-meaning, even if annoying. If it's harmless, such as, "You should introduce vegetables before fruit," you can say, "Thanks. I'll ask our pediatrician about that and keep it in mind." Giving them the impression you're at least thinking about it can sometimes be enough to keep things civil.

It can be so rewarding to watch your parents bond with your kids. But if you're having issues, communication can keep molehills from turning into mountains.