Chapter 1. Grandparents as Parents

Synopsis

Human Development Video Activity

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You must read each slide, and complete any questions on the slide, in sequence.

grandparent caregiver

A grandparent who lives with and has primary responsibility for grandchildren ages 18 and below.

grandparent caregivers

A grandparent who lives with and has primary responsibility for grandchildren ages 18 and below.

skipped generation

A household in which one or more grandparent has sole responsibility for raising grandchildren without any assistance from the parent(s).

Grandparents as Parents

Author

Catherine Robertson, Grossmont College
Pamela Hill, San Antonio College

Synopsis

The percentage of grandparent caregivers is growing. In video clips, grandparents, grandchildren, and experts explain the impact of grandparents becoming primary caretakers to their grandchildren and how this caretaking role interacts with the physical, cognitive, psychological, and economic aspects of older adulthood.

REFERENCES

Census Bureau Reports 64 percent increase in number of children living with a grandparent over last two decades. (2011, June 29). Newsroom. US Census Bureau. Retrieved at http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/children/cb11-117.html

Family Structure. (2011). Child trends. Retrieved at http://www.childtrendsdatabank.org/?q=node/334

ChildTrend Calculations of US Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, 2011. American families and living arrangements 2010, Table C-2. US Census Bureau. Retrieved at http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/hh-fam/cos2010.html

Fields, J. (2003, June). Children’s living arrangements and characteristics: March 2002. Current Population Reports, P20-547. US Census Bureau. Retrieved at http://www.census.gov/prod/2003pubs/p20-547.pdf

Kreider, R. & Ellis, R. (2011, June). Living arrangements of children: 2009. Household Economic Studies, P70-126. US Census Bureau. Retrieved at http://www.census.gov/prod/2011pubs/p70-126.pdf

MetLife Mature Market Institute in collaboration with Peter Francese. (2011). The MetLife Report on American Grandparents: New Insights for a New Generation of Grandparents. Westport, CT: Author. Retrieved at https://www.metlife.com/mmi/research/american-grandparents-insights-new-grandparents.html#findings

Simmons, T. & Dye, J. L. (2003, October). Grandparents living with grandchildren: 2000. US Census Bureau Census 2000 Brief, C2KBR-31. Retrieved at http://www.census.gov/prod/2003pubs/c2kbr-31.pdf

U.S. Department of Commerce. (July 31, 2012). Grandparents Day 2012: Sept. 9, U.S. Census Bureau News: Profile America Facts for Features (CB12-FF.17). Retrieved at http://factfinder2.census.gov

Grandparent-Headed Households

In 2010, 2.7 million American grandparents were responsible for the basic needs, such as food, shelter, and clothing, of one or more of their grandchildren living with them. At a time when older adults look forward to relaxing in their later years, a growing number of grandparents are actually acting as daily caregivers for their grandchildren. Many of these grandparent caregivers live with one of their adult children and may help to care for their grandchildren. Other grandparent caregivers maintain their own households where they live with their grandchildren and sometimes one or both of their grandchildren’s parents.

Based on 2010 census data, it can be estimated that one out of every three U.S. households (for a total of 39.8 million families) was headed by a grandmother, a grandfather, or both. Furthermore, an estimated 4.5 million grandparent-headed households (approximately 11 percent of all grandparent-headed households) contain one or more grandchildren. Approximately 1.5 million households, or one-third of these grandparent-headed households with one or more grandchildren, include neither biological parent of the grandchild or grandchildren. These households headed by grandparents are named skipped generation households because of the absent parents. Parents may be unable to live with their children for a variety of reasons, such as military deployment, relocation because of job or loss of employment, loss of custody, teen or unwanted pregnancy, physical or mental illness, drug or alcohol abuse, incarceration, or even death.

Play the video to hear Anna Zimmer, a gerontological social worker, and other adults discuss family situations in which grandparents act as parents.

Grandparent Caregivers and Economics

A grandfather napping with his grandchild

Grandparent caregivers in skipped generation households tend to have clear economic challenges and often need outside financial assistance. As of 2010 in the United States, the average income for grandparent-headed households in which no parent of the grandchildren was present was approximately $33,000. While this income was above the U.S. poverty level, this income would still likely be a strain for grandparent caregivers to cover the cost of housing, food, clothing, health care, and any other basic living expenses for themselves and even one grandchild. In many cases, financial difficulties are apt to accompany grandparent caregiving in a skipped generation household.

The economic demands of grandparents being their grandchildren’s primary caregivers are further compounded by other socioeconomic statistics. For example, while many grandchildren are raised by both the grandmother and grandfather, there are a growing number of single grandmothers who have full responsibility for their grandchildren without any parental help. Statistically, single grandmother caregivers are more likely to be poor, facing economic hardship, and either black or Hispanic. Some states may provide grandparent caregivers with foster care or kinship care payments. However, some grandparents may be unable to supplement these payments with paid work if they are elderly or disabled. Others might be unaware of the availability of kinship care payments. Furthermore, grandparents may have made housing and financial decisions based on the fact that they have no more children to support, so they may have already begun to spend their money based on their independence. There are many scenarios that may make grandparents less than economically ideal to become primary caregivers to their grandchildren.

Other Factors Affecting Grandparent Parenting

While grandparents may gain from parenting a second time around, grandparent caregivers often sacrifice much as they take on the responsibility of providing for their grandchildren. An elevated stress level may affect the health and well-being of an aging grandparent especially if the stress is long-term. The experience of parenting for grandparents may be influenced by a number of different factors such as, the culture of the particular family structure, ages of grandparents, marital status of grandparents, physical and mental health of grandparents or grandchildren, housing and general living costs, support structure available to the grandparents, and involvement of the grandchildren’s biological parents.

Question 1.1

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Grandparents are at a stage in life when they are focusing on retirement and their own goals. Grandparents may not be emotionally, financially, or even physically prepared for taking on full-time care of their grandchildren. The reasons for why grandparents have to step in may be a source of stress that can contribute to the overall stress of the added caretaking responsibilities. The generational gap may create difficulties in grandparents being able to relate to the educational, social, and emotional problems that grandchildren may face at school, with friends, or in having to deal with the absence of their biological parents. These caretaking grandparents may also suffer from a lack of support. For example, one grandmother in the video mentions that she is ineligible for much governmental financial assistance.

The Effects of Having Grandparents as Parents on Grandchildren

Children living in their grandparent’s household without a parent present are at a distinct economic disadvantage as they are often stretching their grandparent’s financial and personal resources. Some grandchildren are likely to need a great deal of hands-on care. The need for such intense involvement may arise from prenatal exposure to drugs, abuse or neglect, poverty, or some other difficulty that prompted grandparents to step in and help. For the grandparents involved, this intensity of care can present added stress. Unfortunately, grandchildren may suffer from this stressful environment as well especially if they have already experienced a traumatic reason for losing their biological parents. In spite of these challenges, grandparents are generally lifesavers because they can offer stability, security, and guidance to grandchildren who may be coming from troubled, unhappy homes.

Question 1.2

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Children raised by their grandparents may have particular problems with their sense of trust or their faith in the stability of their environment especially if their lives with their biological parents had been troubled. Grandchildren may feel torn between their loyalties to their grandparents who are acting as parents and their biological parents. No matter what the details of the circumstances that have brought these grandchildren into the custody of their grandparents, odds are that they have experienced some degree of trauma. While their grandparents may offer a less traumatic living environment, these grandchildren are still likely to be living with serious emotional baggage.

Assessment: Check Your Understanding

A grandmother drawing with her grandchild

Question 1.3

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Correct! In 2010, 2.7 million American grandparents were responsible for the basic needs, such as food, shelter, and clothing, of one or more of their grandchildren who were living with them.

Sorry. In 2010, 2.7 million American grandparents were responsible for the basic needs, such as food, shelter, and clothing, of one or more of their grandchildren who were living with them.

Assessment: Check Your Understanding

Question 1.4

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Correct! While this income is above the U.S. poverty level, this income would still likely be a strain for grandparent caregivers to cover the cost of housing, food, clothing, health care, and any other basic living expenses for themselves and even one grandchild.

Sorry. While this income is above the U.S. poverty level, this income would still likely be a strain for grandparent caregivers to cover the cost of housing, food, clothing, health care, and any other basic living expenses for themselves and even one grandchild.

Assessment: Check Your Understanding

Question 1.5

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Correct! Statistically, single grandmother caregivers are more likely to be poor.

Sorry. Statistically, single grandmother caregivers are more likely to be poor.

Assessment: Check Your Understanding

Question 1.6

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Correct! Stress, lack of support, and generational differences are all mentioned as some challenges of becoming a parent, but fortunately, none of those interviewed describe grandparents not wanting to or refusing to take on the care of their grandchildren.

Sorry. Stress, lack of support, and generational differences are all mentioned as some challenges of becoming a parent, but fortunately, none of those interviewed describe grandparents not wanting to or refusing to take on the care of their grandchildren.

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