Over the past decade, recent research has revealed that getting older does not mean older adults can retire settle down and enjoy life. Some might obtain more responsibility as they get older. Many become grandparents or get a sudden opportunity to be parents all over again to their grandchildren. In some cases grandparents are the only parents or family a child has ever known. These children ultimately rely on the grandparents to take on the primary roles of the parent. These duties are due to the parents’ abandonment, drug addiction or different types of family cultures those that are non-traditional and traditional.
Older adults are becoming grandparents at earlier ages as a result the average age of first time grandparents is 50 years old. The Census Bureau reported; “In 2009, 7.8 million children lived with at least one grandparent, a 64 percent increase since 1991 when 4.7 million children lived with a grandparent…” (Edwards, 2011) These older adults are taking care of their grandchildren while parents are away at work, or they step in to become parents. “Grandparents face many challenges they lead 37 percent of the countries households, about 44 million in all, and statistical trends show that number rising in the years ahead “(Editors 2007-2012). Having older adults becoming grandparents at younger ages is better for the parents that could not raise their children and better for the children. For example, they have the efficient amount of knowledge to raise the child since most have already raised their own children and they are in control of better established lifestyles to effectively help children grow.
However, many children grow up and live with their grandparents because the parents abandon them or they are addicted to drugs. Recent research has declared that most children are well loved and cared for and less likely to be negatively affected by not having their parents around. AARP’s Family expert, Amy Goyer states in a Washington Times article “Children typically receive extra love and attention from grandparents when they live with them, and grandparents can feel connected and happy to contribute to their families” (Wetzstein, 2011). These children become cared for because their parents have abused drugs and alcohol and cannot adequately take care of them. Grandparents that are around step in to make sure that their grandchildren do not end up in the foster care system.
Traditionally grandparents are important figures in a family because they are older and provide wisdom and they bind the family together. However, the traditional values in a family have turned untraditional because more children are now living with their grandparents. Consequently, more children are subject to broken homes where the single parent has to fill both parents’ roles. It is easier to welcome the grandparent into the household to help the parent out or to take over where they are needed. For example, as a child I was raised by my grandmother in a very untraditional situation. I would spend every day and the majority of my nights at my grandmother’s house. Although, my parents were not on drugs and did not abandon me, they just could not seem to make sense of their relationship and they decided to end it. My parents went through an extensive custody battle and my father was granted primary custody of me. However since he lived with my grandmother she became more of my primary caregiver and everything else I needed to ensure my growth.
In conclusion, many children are exposed to different family situations but the most common seems to be that they are raised by their grandparents. In the past this was deemed untraditional, but because of recent factors that are affecting parents like drug addiction, and abandonment, many children are welcomed to a new tradition that grandparents are a part of their lives to help and give primary care. Since grandparents are living longer and the ages are younger they have the ability to give the type of care that is considered necessary to help their grandchildren grow up and become better adults in the future.
References
Califano, J. (2005). Family matters: substance abuse and the American family. (1 ed., Vol. 1, p. 4). New York, NY: A CASA white paper. Retrieved from http://www.casacolumbia.org/articlefiles/380-Family Matters.pdf
Cox, H. (2012). Aging: The quality of later life. (25th ed., pp. 18-19). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Edwards, T. (2011, June). Census bureau reports 64 percent increase in number of children living with a grandparent over last two decades. Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/children/cb11-117.html
Wetzstein, C. (2011, June 29). 1 in 10 U.S. children live with a grandparent. Retrieved from http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/jun/29/1-in-10-us-children-live-with-a-grandparent/?page=all
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