Article:
The Rise of Grandparent Caregivers
Demographic change, like continental drift, is too gradual to be visible day by day but eventually it shakes the world. People live two decades longer than they did in 1960, and women have half as many children. One of the many ways in which this has transformed family dynamics concerns grandparents. There are a lot more of them, and they each have fewer grandchildren to dote on.
The Economist commissioned research and found that the number of grandparents in the world has roughly trebled since 1960, to 1.5bn, and the ratio of grandparents to children under 15 has jumped from 0.46 in 1960 to 0.8 today. Grandparents pass on knowledge and traditions and maintain a family’s links with the past, and help bring up children so that mothers can work outside the home.
Why grandparents make great caregivers
Many parents are happier entrusting their children to their grandma than to anyone else. Grandparents love the kids, do not need paying, and are often available at short notice. They also have the benefit of being a familiar and comforting presence in the child’s life. In Mexico, grandmothers help look after nearly 40% of children under six. During an average week in America, 50% of very young children and 35% of primary-schoolers see a grandparent. Numerous studies find that mothers with granny-nannies earn more than they otherwise would.
Grandparents’ care is good for grandchildren, too. In parts of Africa, the presence of a grandmother makes it more likely that a child will survive. In the rich world, it is unclear whether the presence of grandparents boosts academic scores or social skills, but it certainly doesn’t hurt them. Living with a grandparent is better than living with a stranger, or in an orphanage. However, children raised solely by a grandmother do badly, but that is because their parents are presumably dead, in prison, or absent for some other reason.
Disadvantages of grandparent caregivers
Families that rely on grandparent caregivers are less likely to move to another city for a better job. So, they often end up earning less than they could have. Also, grandmothers often retire early or work fewer hours to make time for their grandchildren. If this is what they choose, it’s fine, but it means that the gains to society from helping mothers into the labor force are partly offset by grandmothers leaving it.
Providing support to grandparent caregivers
Raising children is hard work, and whoever does it should receive support. Some governments provide subsidized nurseries, and a simpler approach would be to give cash to parents with young children. This way, they can spend it on the childcare arrangements that suit them or it could help one parent work part-time or not at all. Grandparents who are primary caregivers should get this money too, and money spent on childcare should be tax-deductible so the system does not favor informal care over the formal sort.
The curse of the mummyji
In some societies, grandparents often enforce old-fashioned sexist norms. After the death of rural Indian grandmothers, the daughters-in-law who live with them are less likely to work outside the home. However, in this area, the help mothers-in-law give with child care and other chores seems to outweigh their demands that daughters-in-law stay home and press their husbands’ shirts. It is a balancing act, but one that ultimately benefits the whole family.
Additional Piece:
The changing role of grandparents in the family
Grandparents have always been important members of families. However, in recent years, their role has evolved and expanded. With longer life expectancy and fewer children, grandparents today are living longer, healthier lives and are actively involved in the lives of their grandchildren. In the past, grandparents would lend a helping hand but today, they are playing a much more significant role in their grandchildren’s lives.
The rise of grandparent caregivers is a reflection of changing cultural and societal norms. In many countries, the extended family has been the traditional source of support for child-rearing. However, with more women entering the workforce and the cost of living going up, grandparents provide much-needed support.
The role of grandparents is evolving, and so is society’s perception of them. There is a growing acknowledgement of the invaluable contribution grandparents make to families. They offer emotional support, teach their grandchildren important life skills, and help with child care. They are instrumental in maintaining family cohesion and transmit cultural values and traditions from generation to generation.
Moreover, grandparents play an essential role in society’s fabric. They relieve the burden on the state, which would have to bear the cost of formal childcare. Many grandparents are not only looking after their grandchildren but are also providing financial support to their grown children, especially in countries where social security systems are weak or non-existent.
Grandparent caregivers provide benefits beyond just relieving immediate practical needs. They offer a loving and nurturing environment with a profound impact on children in need of support. When children are facing challenging times, whether it’s their parents’ divorce, illness, or bereavement, grandparents provide a stabilizing effect. Grandparents offer a safe haven, normalcy, and familiarity during times of change and uncertainty.
Of course, being a grandparent caregiver is not without its challenges. Grandparents need to balance their new role with their own lives. They may face challenges when it comes to helping their grandchildren with homework or other challenges because they may not have the latest education or technology. Caregiving can also take a financial toll and may strain relationships between siblings or between grandparents and their adult children when there are conflicts about the care of the children.
Conclusion
As society changes, so does the role of grandparents in families. The increasing numbers of grandparents present an immense opportunity for the well-being of families, the economy, and the education system. As grandparents step into the role of caregivers, they bring with them many strengths, including love, patience, and wisdom. By recognizing and supporting grandparent caregivers, policymakers can empower families, boost the economy, and ultimately create stronger, more cohesive societies.
Summary:
Grandparent caregivers are on the rise, and The Economist commissioned research that revealed the number of grandparents has treble since 1960, to 1.5bn. As grandparents pass on knowledge, traditions, and help bring up children, mothers can work outside the home effectively, receiving emotional comfort, saving money and maintaining family cohesion in some cases. Grandparents provide childcare that is preferable to strangers or orphanages. In some countries, government childcare subsidies, while others give cash to parents of young children. Still, grandparents who are care providers should get this financial help and tax deductions on childcare so the system does not favor informal over formal care. While the role of grandparents evolved and expanded, the curse of the mummyji in some societies sees grandparents enforcing old-fashioned sexist norms. However, in this area, the help mothers-in-law give with childcare and other chores outweighs their demands that daughters-in-law stay home.
In a broader context, there is growing an acknowledgment of the invaluable contribution grandparents make to families, offer emotional support, teaching of important life skills, and transmitting cultural values and traditions. Grandparents relieve the burden on states, providing much-needed financial support. Grandparent caregivers provide benefits beyond relieving immediate practical needs, offering a nurturing environment, stabilizing effect to children during challenging times, and ultimately creating stronger, more cohesive societies.
—————————————————-
| Article | Link |
|---|---|
| UK Artful Impressions | Premiere Etsy Store |
| Sponsored Content | View |
| 90’s Rock Band Review | View |
| Ted Lasso’s MacBook Guide | View |
| Nature’s Secret to More Energy | View |
| Ancient Recipe for Weight Loss | View |
| MacBook Air i3 vs i5 | View |
| You Need a VPN in 2023 – Liberty Shield | View |
Demographic change, like continental drift, is too gradual to be visible day by day but eventually it shakes the world. People live two decades longer than they did in 1960, and women have half as many children. One of the many ways in which this has transformed family dynamics concerns grandparents. There are a lot more of them, and they each have fewer grandchildren to dote on.
Surprisingly little is known about this trend, so The Economist commissioned some research. This found that the number of grandparents in the world has roughly trebled since 1960, to 1.5bn, and the ratio of grandparents to children under 15 has jumped from 0.46 in 1960 to 0.8 today. This matters because grandparents pass on knowledge and traditions and maintain a family’s links with the past. More vitally, they help bring up children, and free mothers to work outside the home.
Many parents are happier entrusting their children to their grandma than to anyone else. (Grandpas do much less child care, though more than in the past.) Grandparents love the kids, do not need paying and are often available at short notice. In Mexico grandmothers help look after nearly 40% of children under six. During an average week in America, 50% of very young children and 35% of primary-schoolers see a grandparent.
Numerous studies find that mothers with granny-nannies earn more than they otherwise would. One way to measure this is to observe what happens when a grandmother dies. In Mexico working mothers who relied on a grandmother but lost her saw their earnings fall by half. This effect even applies, to a lesser extent, in societies such as India, where grandparents often enforce old-fashioned sexist norms. After the death of rural Indian grandmothers, the daughters-in-law who live them are less likely to work outside the home. In this area, at least, the help mothers-in-law give with child care and other chores seems to outweigh their demands that daughters-in-law stay home and press their husbands’ shirts.
Grandparents’ care is good for grandchildren, too. In parts of Africa the presence of a grandmother makes it more likely that a child will survive. In the rich world it is unclear whether the presence of grandparents boosts academic scores or social skills, but it certainly doesn’t hurt them. Granted, children raised solely by a grandmother do badly, but that is because their parents are presumably dead, in prison or absent for some other reason. Living with her is better than living with a stranger, or in an orphanage.
Care from grandparents does have some disadvantages. Families that rely on it are less likely to move to another city for a better job. So they often end up earning less than they could have. Also, grandmothers often retire early, or work less hours, to make time for their grandchildren. If this is what they choose, fine. But it means that the gains to society from helping mothers into the labour force are partly offset by grandmothers leaving it.
Raising children is hard work. Whoever does it, the state should help. Some governments provide subsidised nurseries. A simpler approach, which does not penalise stay-at-home parents, would be to give cash to parents with young children. They can spend it on the child-care arrangements that suit them. Or it could help one parent work part-time or not at all. Grandparents who are primary carers should get this money, too. And money spent on child care should be tax-deductible, so the system does not favour informal care over the formal sort. Meanwhile, families with living grandparents should rejoice in their good fortune—and be glad that more and more children are sharing it. ■
https://www.economist.com/leaders/2023/01/16/the-glory-of-grandparents
—————————————————-