In today’s world, more grandparents are becoming primary caregivers for their grandkids. Why? Most of them are doing it for love, support, and family stability while others are constrained by circumstances.
Let’s explore some of the most common reasons behind this trend.
Why Are More Kids Raised by Grandparents?
The main reasons for the increasing number of children being raised by grandparents are parents’ inability to fulfill their caregiving roles and economic factors.
Life has thrown some curveballs, like parental struggles with substance abuse, tough economic times, child protective services getting involved, health issues, divorces, teen pregnancies, military deployments, parental incarceration, or the tragic loss of parents.
These situations often come with additional challenges for grandparents.
According to Generations United, 21 percent of grandparents who are caring for their grandchildren find themselves living below the poverty line.
Between 2019 and 2020, a significant 25 percent of households led by grandparents with grandchildren and no parent present faced food insecurity.
Additionally, approximately 39 percent of these caregiving grandparents are over 60 years old, and 26 percent of them have a disability.
These statistics highlight the challenges and unique circumstances that many grandparents face when taking on the role of primary caregivers for their grandchildren, including financial hardships and health-related concerns.
Sometimes, it’s just the way things are done in certain cultures.
Parents Are Unable to Raise Their Child
Parental Substance Abuse
When parents struggle with drug or alcohol addiction, they may become unable to provide a safe and stable environment for their children.
Grandparents step in to ensure the children’s well-being, often out of concern for their safety.
Physical and Mental Health Issues
If a parent faces serious health issues, such as a chronic illness or disability, they may be physically or emotionally unable to care for their children.
The same is true if they face mental health issues.
Parents Are Incarcerated
If a parent is incarcerated, they are unable to provide care for their children.
Grandparents may take on the role of caregivers to ensure the children are taken care of during their parents’ absence.
Teen Pregnancy
Teenage parents may lack the maturity, resources, or support needed to raise a child effectively.
Grandparents may assist in raising the child and offering guidance to the young parents.
Economic Hardships
Financial challenges can make it difficult for parents to afford childcare, education, and basic necessities for their children.
Grandparents may step in to provide financial support and a stable home.
Child Protective Services
In cases where Child Protective Services intervene due to neglect or abuse by parents, grandparents may be granted custody or guardianship to protect their grandchildren from harm.
Social services often turn to grandparents as caregivers for children in need because of the strong bonds these children already have with their grandparents.
Taking a child away from their nuclear family can be tough, so it’s only natural to look for someone who is already close to the child.
Grandparents often fit the bill because they’re family, providing a comforting and stable presence for the child.
Divorce or Separation
When parents go through a divorce or separation, it can disrupt the family structure.
Grandparents often step in to provide stability and a familiar environment for their grandchildren during this difficult time.
Military Deployment
Service members in the military may be deployed for extended periods, making it challenging to care for their children.
Grandparents often step in as primary caregivers to maintain family stability.
Death of Parents
In tragic circumstances where parents pass away, grandparents often become the legal guardians of their grandchildren, providing them with a loving and stable home.
Cultural Norms
In some cultures, it is customary for grandparents to play an active role in the upbringing of their grandchildren.
This involvement can range from providing daily care to offering guidance and passing down cultural traditions.
The Impact of Caregiving on Grandparents’ Health
Taking care of grandchildren full-time can have a profound impact on the health of grandparents.
These caregiving grandparents often face not only the complexities of child-rearing but also their own age-related health changes.
Compared to their noncaregiving peers, grandparents raising grandchildren tend to experience a higher prevalence of health issues.
When resources like finances, time, and energy are limited, these grandparents often prioritize the well-being of their grandchildren over their own.
This can result in undiagnosed health problems, untreated chronic diseases, and less-than-ideal health practices, such as poor nutrition and a lack of exercise.
Moreover, the stress of childcare can lead to feelings of depression and anxiety.
Despite these formidable challenges, many grandparents also find fulfillment and purpose in their caregiving roles.
What Is the Percentage of Grandparents Raising Children?
In 2005, there were 2.5 million children living under the care of their grandparents in the United Statesd. By 2015, this number had increased to 2.9 million.
Is It Good for Kids to Be Raised by Grandparents?
Being raised by grandparents is often a better option than foster services for most kids. It offers familiarity, stability, unconditional love, continued family connections, and avoids the challenges of the foster care system.
Familiarity and Stability
Grandparents provide a familiar and stable environment for their grandchildren. Children can maintain a sense of continuity and security when they are with family members they know and trust.
Unconditional Love
Grandparents typically have a deep and unconditional love for their grandchildren. This emotional bond can be incredibly comforting and reassuring for children who may have experienced difficult family situations.
Avoiding the Foster Care System
Placing children in the foster care system can be a traumatic experience. Being raised by grandparents can prevent them from having to navigate the challenges and uncertainties of the foster care system.
Continued Family Connection
Children raised by grandparents can maintain a stronger connection to their extended family and heritage, which can be enriching and emotionally fulfilling.
Conclusion
Over the past few decades, more grandparents have found themselves taking on the role of primary caregivers for their grandkids, and it’s not for one simple reason.
Taking on the role of primary caregiver while facing their own age-related health changes can impact the health of these grandparents.
Despite these formidable challenges, many grandparents find fulfillment and purpose in their caregiving roles, deriving happiness and a sense of meaning from nurturing and supporting their grandchildren.
References & Further Reading:
- Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, AAMFT.
- Why more grandparents are raising their grandchildren, The Conversation.
- Why More Grandparents Are Raising Children, Stateline.