Grandparents: pals or pressure!
pregnancy is coming up as big issues. At times grandchild feel missed out and lonely or ditched. It is not always that grandparents have a good understanding with the grandchild and their frequencies match! In some cases grandchild enters into the relationship with opposite sex that they cross all the limitations. If this fates as a pregnancy then it becomes a serious issue. To take care of grandchild is therefore becoming problematic and problems are from both sides related to the understanding and thinking and justification of thoughts of their own times becomes the matter of conflict between the grandparents and grandchildren (Kornhaber, 1996). Children’s issues parenting and child rearing, eating disorders/obesity and self-esteem- at times grandchildren are stubborn and are difficult to tackle. On the other hand grandparent may have certain habits which are not accepted by the grandchild then it becomes difficult to cope with the relationship (Uhlenberg and Kirby, 1998). Family violence- child abuse and elder abuse. At times it is seen that many parents do not have a very good relationship among themselves nor do they have good relationship with their children. When these parents become grandparents still family violence continues leaving serious psychological implications on the child’s mind. Family issues at times are taken over to the court and this creates agony in disrespect in the young minds (Uhlenberg and Kirby, 1998). Emergency/Crisis Intervention Services Payment (CRISP) – A one-time cash payment to care-giving grandparents for any verified need, up to three times the maximum TANF benefit for the family. Grandparents- Raising Grandchildren Monthly Subsidy Payment – Grandparent-headed families can receive /child/month to assist with child care expenses. The grandchild does not have to be in State custody for grandparents to access it (Healthy Marriage).
Research into the historical and demographic trends of grandparenthood in American society by Uhlenberg and Kirby (1998) disclosed that writers in the early twentieth century believed that grandparental interference contributed to the negative image of grandparents at that time. Also, a review of late twentieth century literature into grandparent role expectations by ASzinovacz (1998) revealed widespread support for the belief that grandparents were expected to be available in times of family crisis, but should not interfere in the parenting of their grandchildren. This rule out a belief that grandparents should not interfere in the lives of their grandchildren is diametrically opposed to the role of grandparents who are raising their grandchildren.
Grandparents today are healthier, better educated and more affluent than previous generations and increased longevity has changed the face of grandparenthood (Korenhaber, 1996).
Konhaber’s (1996) grandparent study in the USA revealed that a number of changes in the way families are structured, together with economic and social stresses, have had a marked effect on the grandparent role. The social changes identified in that study included the feminist movement of the seventies, advances in medical and communication technologies, changes to the traditional family structure, modern divorce laws, increase in drug and alcohol abuse as well as an increase in child abuse and neglect.
The three major concerns of the grandparents of today are:
The role grandparents now play in the provision of childcare for preschool children and before-and-after school care and holiday care for school-aged children. Grandparent’s contact with grandchildren after their parents separate and/ or divorce and also when they re-partner or marry. For some grandparents the effects of divorce may be either positive or negative (Ferguson, 2004). During the course some grandparents develop a closer relationship with their grandchildren and assume greater care giving and supportive roles. On the other hand, for some divorce within the family network can mean being denied access to grandchildren and losing contact with them altogether. Another change that concerns grandparents who take on a parenting role rather than a supporting grandparent role with their grandchildren.
Reasons to take parenting role
A wide range of social factors has contributed to the escalation in the number of grandparents raising their grandchildren worldwide. Drug and alcohol abuse has been cited as the most dramatic causal factor in USA, also world-wide spread of HIV/ AIDS has also been a major contributing factor in the increase in grandparental care. (Fuller- Thomson & Minkler, 2000; Richard 2001).
Divorce, teen pregnancy, a rise in the number of sole-parent families and the associated problems of raising children alone, have also been cited as reasons why grandparents are taking on the parenting role (Minkler, 1999). According to Kornhaber because of high divorce rates in the