Grandparents and Grandparenting in a Rural Southern State

Abstract

Current social and demographic changes have drawn attention to the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren. This research examined grandparents and grandparenting in a rural southern state. One hundred fifty-eight grandparents were interviewed by telephone regarding their roles and relationships with their grandchildren and others along with the impact grandparenting had on their other activities. Results indicate that 60% of the sample had frequent contact with their grandchildren. A significant proportion of the grandparents indicated that they provide assistance by giving advice, preparing meals, and baby-sitting. Additionally, grandparents indicated that providing care does not interfere with their other activities. Discussion focuses on the need to understand grandparent-grandchild relationships and the factors that influence them across time, particularly as the grandchildren become adults.

Determinants of Support Exchange Between Grandparents and Grandchildren in Rural China: The Roles of Grandparent Caregiving, Patrilineal Heritage, and Emotional Bonds

“…However, there may be stronger family ties with paternal grandparents in some contexts, such as rural social environments. Researchers in the United States found that paternal grandparent–grandchild relationships in rural farm families feature a high degree of emotional closeness (King & Elder, 1995; King, Silverstein, Elder, Bengtson, & Conger, 2003; Spence, Black, Adams, & Crowther, 2001). The researchers interpreted this as a result of the nature of the work in farm families and the fact that most farm property is passed down to sons (King & Elder, 1995).…”