Released October 27, 2009
STILLWATER, Okla. – Children all across Oklahoma may have fond memories of spending vacations or holidays with their grandparents.
However, over the years, the role of grandparents has changed, said Jan Johnston, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension gerontology specialist.
“Instead of being the family members grandchildren visit on weekends and holidays, grandparents are increasingly becoming the main caregivers for children under the age of 18,” Johnston said. “According to the 2007 American Community Survey, currently more than 6 million grandparents had grandchildren living with them. In 1970, just over 2 million children under the age of 18 lived in grandparent-headed households.”
There are a number of reasons why grandchildren are increasingly being raised by grandparents, including the parents’ understandable need for help with childcare, and in the worst case scenario, parental failure.
Caring for a grandchild may be a temporary situation such as when the parent is ill or in turmoil. Often when both parents are called up for military deployment, grandparents step in to stabilize the household until the parents return. Grandparent care giving also can be permanent, such as in the event of the death of the parents, untreated substance abuse or prolonged incarceration.
Across all cultures there are significant challenges for these grandparents that impact their finances, physical health and emotional wellbeing. It is important to recognize, however, there are specific cultural expectations for the role of grandparents built on family history and tradition. Successfully meeting the needs of these grandparents must include these cultural norms and expectations.
Becoming the primary caregiver for children of all ages can require some major adjustment on the part of grandparents.
“Many grandparents faced with raising a grandchild experience mixed emotions. Just when some grandparents thought they would be able to enjoy their retired life and perhaps travel, they find themselves attending parent/teacher meetings, helping with homework and shuttling the grandchildren to various after-school activities,” Johnston said. “While some grandparents see this opportunity as a blessing, others may feel that they no longer are able to have the life they thought they would have at this point in their lives. It’s perfectly normal to go through a range of emotions.”
It is widely recognized that raising a child is not cheap. Grandparents who are on fixed or limited incomes may find it difficult to meet even the basic needs such as food and clothing. Extras such as music lessons or sports team fees often are not affordable.
Johnston said that due to the increase in number of grandparents raising grandchildren, personal and governmental support organizations have been created. However, as increasing numbers of grandparents assume the parenting role, new laws and policies are needed to keep up with the changing needs of these families.
If you are raising your grandchildren, there are many resources out there to help you do the best job possible. Often, local communities will offer support groups through service agencies and churches. There is excellent information available on Web sites such as http://www.grandparenting.org, http://www.gu.org or http://www.AARP.org.
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Writer: Trisha Gedon, 405-744-3625, trisha.gedon@okstate.edu
