How grandparents’ lives are impacted!Social: Many grandparent-caregivers lack social support and end up in social isolation which can lead to feelings of loneliness and invisibility. The lack of support is shown to then put grandparents at a higher risk for low self-esteem and depression (Hayslip and Kaminski, 2005). Cultural: About 40 percent or above of Black, Pacific Islander, and American Indian and Alaska Native grandparent-caregivers report being responsible for their grand-children for 5 years or more, whereas only about 33 percent each for White, Hispanic and Asian grandparent-caregivers. Asian and Hispanic grandparents oftentimes live in multigenerational homes and do not bear the sole responsibility of caregiving (U.S. Census Bureau, 2008). The black community has a long history of caring for family members, which allows for greater acceptance of the surrogate parent role (Goodman & Silverstein, 2002), which might explain the elevated number.Family: Family can be a great support system. However, your adult children may resent you for the time you spend with only one set of grandchildren and you may feel guilt about that. There can also be a power struggle with the parent too, all of whichcan affect the grandchild (Grandparenting Today, 2010).

Financial: About 19% of grandparent-caregivers live below the poverty level and many live on fixed incomes or still must maintain their place in the workforce. Current economic times can make this extra challenging.

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There are a variety of reasons grandparents end up in the parenting role again, but regardless the reason, we want to present as many facts and useful information to help and

support you and ease you back into parenthood. It is not a mystery that your lives will be impacted in many ways and here are some of those impacts.

WELCOME TO PARENTHOOD...AGAIN

EMOTIONAL AFFECTS: Grandparents experience a whirlwind of emotions including anger, shame, depression, marital stress, loss of freedom, loss of grandparenting role, stress; depression has been found to correlate with increased emotional/behavioral/academic issues in grandchildren.

THINKING AFFECTS: Many grandparents blame themselves and hold feelings of self-doubt in their parenting skills because they are caring for their children’s children.

PHYSICAL AFFECTS: Almost 80% of grand-parents report having at least one health issue with one-third reporting their health worsened and reported feeling more tired since becoming the primary caregiver.

GRANDPARENTS RAISING GRANDCHILDREN

FACT SHEET

STEPHANIE BRUCE/ SUMMER 2010/ VOLUME 01

YOU DESERVE SUPPORT HERE’S WHERE TO GET IT!

WHO CAN HELP?

AARP www.aarp.org/relationships/

grandparenting

Grandparenting Today www.uwex.edu/ces/flp/

grandparent/relationships/factsheets.cfm

Grandparent Again www.grandparetagain.com

Grandfamilies State Law & Policy Resource

Center www.grandfamilies.org

USA.gov http://www.usa.gov/Topics/

Grandparents.shtml

Stephanie Bruce, School Counselor

910.527.4125

CURRENT TECHNIQUES/ STRATEGIES TO HELP GRANDPARENTS ADJUST

Direct services such as group counseling, coping and parenting skill training and support groups for grandparent-caregivers (and their grandchildren) prove to be beneficial. Indirect

services like volunteering in the child's classroom, getting to know teachers and guest speaking gets the grandparent involved in the child's education (Pinson-Millburn et al., 1996). A social support theory can be useful based on studies that show a strong social support can help buffer stress (Edwards, 2006). SO MAY WE SUGGEST ... Join a support group. You’re not alone in this, just look at the statistics. Find your peers and lean on each other (and of course us too).

Other StatsGrandparents

Grandchildren living in household 6.1 million Still in Labor Force 1.4 million

Currently Married 1.7 millionPrimary caregiver >5 yrs. 918,000Living below poverty level 477,000Living with a disability 730,000

(U.S. Census Bureau, 2008)

NUMBERSGrandparents living in

the U.S.

56million Grandparents as

primary caregiver

2.5million

Number of Grandchildren in N.C.

living with grandparent

1in12

(U.S. Census Bureau, 2008)

ResourcesAARP Foundation (2007). State Fact Sheets for Grandparents and Relatives Raising Children. Retrieved July 6, 2010 from http://www.grandfactsheets.org/state_fact_sheet.cfm

Briggs, J. (2007). To Grandmother's House We Go. Crisis (15591573), 114(1), 34-37.

Converse, D. (n.d.). Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. Retrieved July 6, 2010 from http://hillsboroughfcs.ifas.ufl.edu/A_ZFamily_Pubs.html

Edwards, O., & Daire, A. (2006). School-Age Children Raised by Their Grandparents: Problems and Solutions. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 33(2), 113.

Edwards, O., & Ray, S. (2008). An Attachment and School Satisfaction Framework for Helping Children Raised by Grandparents. School Counseling Quarterly, Vol 23(1) 125-138.

Edwards, O., & Taub, G. (2009). A Conceptual Pathways Model to Promote Positive Youth Development in Children Raised by Their Grandparents. School Counseling Quarterly, Vol. 24(3) 160-172.

Family and Consumer Sciences (n.d.). Trend Analysis. Retrieved July 3, 2010, from http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/fcs/Trends.html

Goodman, C., & Silverstein, M. (2002). Grandmothers raising grandchildren: Family structure and well-being in culturally diverse families. The Geronotologist, 42(5), 676–689.

Grandparenting Today (2010). Retrieved July 1, 2010 from http://www.uwex.edu/relationships/

Hayslip, B., & Kaminski, P. (2005). Grandparents Raising Their Grandchildren: A Review of the Literature and Suggestions for Practice. Gerontologist, 45(2), 262-269.

Joslin, D. (2009). Custodial Grandparent Empowerment: Models of Practice. Families inSociety, 90(2), 196-204.

Matzek, A., & Cooney, T. (2009). Spousal Perceptions Of Marital Stress And Support Among Grandparent Caregivers: Variations by Life Stage. International Journal Aging and

Human Development, Vol. 68(2) 109-126.

Pinson-Millburn, N.M., Fabian, E.S., Schlossberg, N.K., & Pylem M. (1996). Grandparents raising grandchildren. Journal of Counseling & Development, 74, 548–554.

Smithgall, C., Mason, S., Michels, L., LiCalsi, C., & Goerge, R. (2009). Intergenerational and Interconnected: Mental Health and Well-Being in Grandparent Caregiver Families. Families in Society, 90(2), 167-175.

U.S. Census Bureau (2008). In U.S. Census Bureau News: Facts for Features. Retrieved July 6, 2010 from http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/pdf/cb08-ff14.pdf

“Everyone needs to have access both to grandparents and grandchildren in order to be a full human being.”

— Margaret Mead

“Grandparents are the footsteps to the future generations.”

— author unknown

Fun Facts about Grandparents• Grandparents Day is the first Sunday after Labor Day

• Each day in the U.S. 4,000 people become first-time grandparents

• Most people can expect to be grandparents for 40 years

RESOURCES OF INFOIf you need us we’re just a phone call away. We never want you, or your grandchild, to feel alone.