TL;DR
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A Bolde article argues that adult grandchildren may stay closest to grandparents who showed interest in their thoughts and listened attentively, rather than simply spending the most time with them. The piece points to relationship guidance and a study cited by physician and author Thomas Verny, but it does not provide enough research detail to establish a general psychological finding or prove cause and effect.
A Bolde report on grandparent relationships argues that adult grandchildren may remain closest to grandparents who made them feel heard and interesting, not necessarily those who spent the most time with them. The article presents this as a relationship pattern, drawing on comments about curiosity in relationships and a study cited by physician and author Thomas Verny; it does not establish that listening alone determines which family bonds endure.
The report contrasts two kinds of grandparent interactions: one centered on familiar visits and family routines, and another in which a grandparent asks about a child’s interests, pays attention to the answer and asks follow-up questions. Its central point is that the quality of attention within time together may matter as much as how often the visits happen. The examples are illustrative, rather than evidence from a new survey or experiment.
Bolde cites couples and family therapist Jennifer Uhrlass, who has written about curiosity in relationships. As summarized in the report, thoughtful questions can signal that a person’s perspective is valued and can support trust and closeness. The article applies that idea to relationships between grandparents and grandchildren, but does not provide a direct quotation from Uhrlass or detail the evidence behind her broader claim.
The piece also refers to a Clemson University study cited by physician and author Thomas Verny in writing about grandparents and development. According to Bolde’s summary, participants described lessons and habits from grandparent relationships as influences on how they moved through the world in early adulthood. The report gives no study title, date, sample size or methods, so readers cannot assess the research in detail from the article alone.
How Listening Can Shape Lasting Bonds
The idea matters to families because it shifts attention from a simple tally of visits to what happens during them. A child who is listened to may experience a grandparent as someone they can approach with questions and problems, as well as someone present at holidays. The article suggests that this pattern can continue after childhood, when an adult grandchild chooses to call or visit without being prompted.
It also offers a practical point for grandparents and parents: conversations do not need to be elaborate to communicate attention. Asking about a book, a drawing or a child’s point of view—and listening to the response—can show that the child is being treated as a person, not just managed. That is the report’s interpretation, not a guarantee that any particular behavior will produce a close relationship.
The article connects early listening with later reciprocity, describing adult grandchildren who continue to make time for older grandparents as their needs change. That account may resonate with families facing aging and caregiving, but it is a narrative explanation rather than evidence that attentive childhood interactions will lead to care in later life.
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Time Together Versus Attention
The source is a relationship-focused report from Bolde, not a newly announced psychological study. Its framing brings together illustrative family scenarios, a general point about curiosity attributed to therapist Jennifer Uhrlass, and a study mentioned secondhand through Thomas Verny. Those sources play different roles and should not be treated as equivalent evidence.
Bolde does acknowledge that frequency and presence matter. A grandparent who rarely sees or speaks with a grandchild may have fewer chances to build a sustained connection. The article’s narrower argument is that frequency by itself may not explain closeness: the nature of the interaction—whether the child is asked about their interests and heard without an immediate correction—could also be part of the picture.
The report follows a relationship across several stages, from a child sharing interests to an adult grandchild seeking advice and later supporting an aging grandparent. These examples illustrate how a bond might develop over time. They do not establish that all close grandparent relationships follow the same path, or that one communication style explains differences among families.
“Presence is the baseline. Interest is what the child remembers.”
— Bolde, summarizing the article’s central argument
What the Research Does Not Establish
The source does not identify a new study or provide evidence that psychologists have reached a broad consensus matching its headline. It also omits the Clemson study’s title, publication date, sample and methods, making it difficult to judge how strongly that research supports the article’s account of grandparent relationships in early adulthood.
It is also unclear how much closeness depends on listening compared with other factors, including distance, family circumstances, a grandparent’s health, shared activities and differences in personality. The article’s stories cannot show whether attentive listening causes lasting closeness, or whether people who already have a strong relationship tend to describe those conversations more positively.
More Evidence Needed on Family Ties
No follow-up study, official announcement or next research milestone is identified in the supplied material. The report’s argument should be read as a relationship interpretation, not as a definitive rule for families.
To evaluate the research claim more fully, readers would need the original Clemson study and the source material from Uhrlass, including their methods and findings. Until those details are available, the most supported takeaway is limited: Bolde argues that attentive, responsive conversations may help explain why some adult grandchildren remain close to a grandparent, while acknowledging that time together matters too.
Key Questions
What does the Bolde report say helps adult grandchildren stay close to a grandparent?
It argues that interest and attentive listening can help: asking about a child’s interests, paying attention to the answer and following up. The report does not claim these behaviors guarantee closeness.
Does the report say time spent together does not matter?
No. Bolde says frequency and showing up matter, while arguing that the quality of the interaction may also shape how a grandchild remembers the relationship.
Is this based on a new psychology study?
The supplied article does not report a new study. It cites relationship writing by Jennifer Uhrlass and refers secondhand to a Clemson University study discussed by Thomas Verny, without giving enough publication or methods information to assess it.
Can attentive listening guarantee a close relationship later in life?
No. The article offers an explanation and examples, not evidence that listening alone causes a lasting bond. Family circumstances, distance, health and other factors may also influence closeness.
Source: rss
