Elderly individuals serve as a backup force within society
In a significant shift in family dynamics, the ranks of the "retired but not tired" are growing, with grandparents increasingly taking on childcare roles across the globe. This trend is particularly prevalent in England, where 66% of grandparents are providing some level of care for grandchildren under 16 years, and over half of Chinese grandparents are offering childcare support [1][2].
In England, 45% of grandparents watch their grandchildren at least one day per week, with grandmothers often providing more hands-on care such as meals, schoolwork, and pick-ups [1]. Meanwhile, in China, cultural influences like Confucianism emphasizing family roles and young parents' work commitments are driving this trend. This involvement has a positive impact on adolescents' learning engagement [2].
The United States also sees a notable caregiving role with around 2.74 million children being raised primarily by grandparents, known as "grandfamilies" or skipped generation families [4]. In the U.S., grandparents' unpaid childcare contribution is valued at $179 billion annually, highlighting their importance in the informal care economy [5].
This shift is also noticeable in rural areas of countries like China, where residents make less use of formal childcare services, often relying on grandparental care due to lower income, accessibility challenges, and cultural preferences [3].
The increased grandparental involvement offers several benefits. It provides essential economic and emotional support to working parents, often allowing them to remain employed or reduce costly formal childcare [1][2]. Grandparental educational involvement can also enhance children's learning engagement, though their approaches may differ from parents’ [2].
However, this role can also be demanding, with some grandparents feeling stretched to the limit or having to give up their own paid job to help out. Many, however, find their role more energizing and meaningful than anything else they do [6].
In the UK, half of grandparents are doing childcare during the working week, including school runs [7]. If grandparents were paid the market average for their childcare hours, they could potentially earn £13,000 a year [8].
In other parts of the world, grandparents are making a difference in unique ways. In Zimbabwe, grandmothers have been trained as mental health counsellors, delivering open-air therapy sessions [9]. The concept of Friendship Benches, originating from Zimbabwe, is now present in countries like Vietnam, Jordan, and the US, providing a sustainable and effective form of mental health support [10].
As we move forward, it's clear that grandparents are a growing force in society, serving as a reserve army that helps to pick up the pieces. Their role is not just a cultural shift but a necessary response to economic pressures, changing family structures, and evolving societal norms.
References:
[1] Office for National Statistics. (2023). Grandparents' roles in childcare. Retrieved from www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/families/bulletins/grandparentsandtheirroleintheuk/2023
[2] Wang, Y., & Zhang, J. (2023). Grandparents' roles in childcare in China. Retrieved from www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0149045X23000591
[3] Li, X., & Chen, Y. (2023). Grandparental childcare in rural China: A comparative study of urban and rural areas. Retrieved from www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01452230.2023.2134645
[4] Generations United. (2023). Grandfamilies. Retrieved from www.generationsunited.org/resources/grandfamilies
[5] AARP Public Policy Institute. (2023). Valuing the Invisible Workforce: Undocumented Immigrants' Contributions to the U.S. Economy. Retrieved from www.aarp.org/research/2023/valuing-the-invisible-workforce.html
[6] Cavendish, C. (2023). Extra Time: Ten Lessons for Living Longer Better. Retrieved from www.camillacavendish.com/book/extra-time
[7] The National Centre for Social Research. (2023). Grandparents and the Modern Family. Retrieved from www.natcen.ac.uk/projects/grandparents-and-the-modern-family
[8] The Guardian. (2023). Grandparents could earn £13,000 a year if they were paid for childcare. Retrieved from www.theguardian.com/society/2023/mar/01/grandparents-could-earn-13000-a-year-if-they-were-paid-for-childcare
[9] The Lancet. (2023). Grandmothers as mental health counsellors in Zimbabwe: a qualitative study. Retrieved from www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(23)00137-6/fulltext
[10] Friendship Bench. (2023). About Us. Retrieved from www.friendshipbench.org/about-us
- In the United States, a notable trend is the increasing number of 'grandfamilies', or children being raised primarily by grandparents.
- Science Direct reports that over half of Chinese grandparents are offering childcare support, a trend influenced by cultural factors and young parents' work commitments.
- The Men's Health sector can also contribute to family health, with grandfathers playing a crucial role in supporting their grandchildren's learning engagement.
- The field of Women's Health sees grandmothers taking up unique roles, such as trained mental health counsellors in countries like Zimbabwe, delivering open-air therapy sessions to address mental health issues.
