Grandparenting

Grandparents are very important people in children’s lives. There have been many changes in the last fifty years or so which make grandparenting a whole new ball-game. If you look at a picture of grandparents from the 1950s, or earlier, it is likely to show a grey-haired old woman with her knitting or a bald headed old man with a stick. This was a stereotype, with little relevance to reality even then.

Grandparents can be in their forties or younger, and live an active life for many years. In fact as people live longer, grandparenting can last as many as 30 or 40 years or more.Being a grandparent is a very special role. It brings an opportunity to do for your grandchildren what you may not have been able to do for your own children. 

Changes For Today's Grandparents

Here are some of the major changes that may be part of grandparenting today.

• Grandparents may be in employment (especially grandmothers who may not have been employed 30 years ago).
• Grandparents can be the main carer following family break-up or with both parents working.
• Grandparents may not be able to have much contact with their grandchildren after family break-ups. (See below).
• Families move around much more and there is more likely to be long distance grandparenting.
• Children’s behaviour, their knowledge, their skills with technology and the language may seem so advanced.

Most of the information provided in this section comes from the South Australian Children, Youth and Womens Health Service.