Facts about Grandparents Raising Their Grandchildren

When Grandparents Are Called to Parent — Again

By A. J. Baime, AARP Bulletin, March 2023

When the nuclear family became the norm in the United States, parents expected to raise their children, send them off on their own to marry and raise their own families, while they retired and, if well off enough, traveled and otherwise enjoyed the rest of their lives.

 

That, of course, was a rather new phenomena. Before, parents, their children, and the children of their children, either lived together or in close proximity. These extended families provided plenty of support, the kind the modern American family now pays for, if they can find the help they need.

 

Today, for some grandparents, life is reverting to older times, except these grandparents find themselves on their own raising the children of their children, who for any number of reasons, including early death, illness, drug addiction, neglectful parenting, etc., can’t do it themselves. And these days, grandparents don’t usually have large extended families from whom to draw support.

 

You might think the number in this situation small. However, U. S. census data, as reported by the AARP, shows that 2.3 million grandparents are directly responsible for raising their grandchildren. 

 

Those interested in family matters in the United States will find the AARP Bulletin article informative about the issue and how it impacts the elderly. Grandparents suddenly faced with the prospect of raising their grandchildren will find the AARP guide Grandparents Raising Grandchildren helpful. 

 

If you know of grandparents who find themselves in this situation, you may wish to share these articles with them. w/c