Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

The United States Census Bureau lists the statistics of Grandparents raising their Grandchildren. Nationally, roughly 32.7% of grandparents living with their grandchildren under the age of 18 were responsible for their care. March 19, 2024 Written by: Clayton Buck, George M. Hayward, and Lydia R. Anderson

https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2024/03/grandparents-living-with-grandchildren.html

About 1.3 million Grandparents are still working to support their grandchildren living with them.

https://www.census.gov/newsroom/stories/grandparents-day.html September 10, 2023

There were 6.0 million U.S. multigenerational households in 2020, up from 5.1 million in 2010, according to 2020 Census data released recently. https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2023/06/several-generations-under-one-roof.html

When Grandparents Become Parents To their Grandchildren; an article published online March 2021

Potential Reasons a Child is Cared for by a Grandparent

The reasons a grandparent may provide needed care for a grandchild vary and can include:

• Parent has an addiction or difficulties with alcohol or drugs

• Parent has mental health challenges or emotional problems

• Child neglect, abandonment or abuse

• Parent is in jail

• Youth or inexperience of parents (teen pregnancy, etc.)

• Physical health issues or death of parent

• Unstable home life, homelessness

• Lack of financial resources, lack of general ability

• Domestic violence in the home, divorce, other family challenges

• Military deployment

https://www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/extension/publications/when-grandparents-become-parents-their-grandchildren# Lead Author: Divya Saxena, M.S., Family Science Associate, Sean Brotherson, Ph.D., Family Science Specialist

Are you counted among this growing number of Grandparents raising their grandchildren?

Available Resources:

AARP Grandparents Raising Grandchildren: Grandfamilies Guide A guide for grandparents raising grandchildren with tips, tools and resources.Information: www.aarp.org/relationships/friends-family/info-08-2011/grandfamilies-guide-getting-started.html

Brookdale Foundation Group Relatives as Parents Program www.brookdalefoundation.org

Child Welfare League of America Phone: (202) 688-4200 www.cwla.org/

Generations United – National Center on Grandfamilies Grandfamilies Resource page www.gu.org/explore-our-topics/grandfamilies/

Grandfamilies.org A national legal resource in support of grandfamilies.www.grandfamilies.org/

Help Guide on Grandparents Raising Grandchildren A guide on navigating the varied challenges of raising grandchildren.www.helpguide.org/articles/parenting-family/grandparents-raising-grandchildren.htm

National Community Reinvestment Coalition – Resources for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren https://ncrc.org/resources-for-grandparents-raising-grandchildren/

Zero to Three – The Grand Connector: Grandparent Resources A resource listing with specific resources for grandparents as caregivers.www.zerotothree.org/resources/2464-the-grand-connector-grandparent-resources

Deuteronomy 4:9 and Deuteronomy 6:6-7 Authorized (King James) Version

⁹ Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons;

⁶ And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: ⁷ and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

Ruth 4: 13-15

¹³ So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the Lord gave her conception, and she bare a son. ¹⁴ And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the Lord, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel. ¹⁵ And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him.

Psalm 71:1, 9 and 18, 78:4, 103:17, and 128:4-6

In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.

⁹ Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.

¹⁸ Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.

⁴ We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord,

and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.

¹⁷ But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him,

and his righteousness unto children’s children;

⁴ Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord.

⁵ The Lord shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life.

⁶ Yea, thou shalt see thy children’s children, and peace upon Israel.

Proverbs 13:22a, 17:6, and 22:6

A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children:

Children’s children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

 Ephesians 6:1

Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.

2 Timothy 1:5 and 3:14-17

⁵ when I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.

¹⁴ But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; ¹⁵ and that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶ All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: ¹⁷ that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Titus 2:3-4

³ The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; ⁴ that they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,

Here's a list of books for grandparents to check out at your local library regarding raising your grandchildren:

"Raising your Children's Children" by Marth Evans Sparks

"Grandparents as Parents- A Survival Guide" by Sylvie de Toledo and Deborah Edler Brown

" When Grandparents Become Parents - How to Succeed" by Rick Johnson

"Grandparents Return to Parenthood - A Supportive Guide" by Tabitha Sage

"The Grandfamily Guide Book" by Andrew Adesman and Christine Adamec

"The Sacred Work of Grandparents raising Grandchildren" by Elaine K. Williams

"Grandparents and Young Children with Autism" by Susan Louise Patterson

"Defusing Explosive Behaviour in Children with ADHD" by Rose Lyons

"Ultimate Guide to Raising Mixed Race Kids" by J Lindt

"Unconditional Love" by Jane Isay