The Experience of Grandparenting Young Children

Huang, Yuxin; Zhao, Qian; Reynolds, Nancy; Tang, Siyuan; Yan, Fang; Wang, Yuwei; Sun, Mei

doi:10.1080/01634372.2021.1965687

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…Our results coincide with previous studies [ 14 , 37 , 38 ], where grandparents adopt the role of caregivers of their grandchildren, as a tool to help their children prevail over difficulties in reconciling work and family life. The results of the present study also coincide with Bordone et al [ 39 ] who find that this help coming from grandmothers is accentuated in crisis situations such as children’s illnesses, separations, divorces or unemployment.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

The role of duty, gender and intergenerational care in grandmothers’ parenting of grandchildren: a phenomenological qualitative study

Mansilla-Domínguez,

Recio-Vivas,

Lorenzo-Allegue

et al. 2024

BMC Nurs

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Objectives The aim of this study was to describe grandmothers’ experiences of taking care of their grandchildren in terms of their care-giving tasks, motivations and emotions. Methods A qualitative phenomenological study was conducted. Purposive sampling was used, based on the relevance of the research question. Seventeen participants were included, women ≥ 65 years old, grandmothers who care for their grandchildren at least 10 h per week and who attended the Nursing units of the Primary Care Health Centers (Madrid Public Health Service). Seventeen in-depth interviews were conducted. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and thematic analysis was carried out from the perspective of hermeneutic phenomenology. For the analysis, the Excel program was used to organize and share the coding process. Also, we followed COREQ guidelines. Results Four main themes were identified: (a) Care out of obligation, where participants feel an obligation to help their children by caring for grandchildren, regardless of their number, and prefer to do so voluntarily; (b) Care out of responsibility, where grandmothers see their role as a responsibility that includes saving costs by caring for grandchildren and facilitating their children’s work life balance; (c) Care as a social duty, reflecting a moral commitment inherited from their mothers to help future generations; and (d) Construction of care from a gender perspective, where grandmothers, as women, primarily assume the care and upbringing of grandchildren. Discussion Our results contribute to increase knowledge about childcare provided by grandmothers to their grandchildren. Grandmothers become fundamental pillars of families by helping their children balance family and work. Behind this care there is a strong sense of obligation, duty and generational responsibility. Grandmothers’ help presents differences in the distribution of tasks and care by sex. Identifying factors that motivate grandmothers to care for their grandchildren helps nurses to perform higher quality comprehensive care.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

The role of duty, gender and intergenerational care in grandmothers’ parenting of grandchildren: a phenomenological qualitative study

Mansilla-Domínguez,

Recio-Vivas,

Lorenzo-Allegue

et al. 2024

BMC Nurs

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“…Lack of communication is identified as a common concern and challenge for coparenting figures (Huang et al, 2021). Although open communication may be a straightforward approach to resolving conflict, it is ironically a difficult approach to practice (Goh, 2006; Goh & Kuczynski, 2010; Leung & Fung, 2014; Thang et al, 2011; Xiao, 2016).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…• Some grandparents occasionally assume the primary childcare responsibility or share caregiving responsibilities with parents Chen and Lewis (2015), Chiu and Ho (2020), Da (2003), Goh (2006), Goh (2009), Goodman (2007), Harman et al (2021), Harper and Ruicheva (2010), Huang et al (2021), Leung and Fung (2014), Moffatt et al (2019), Sandel et al (2006), Thang et al (2011), Wyss and Nedelcu (2020), Xiao (2016), Xie and Xia (2011) and Yang et al (2018) • Gendered division of labor…”

Section: Orcidmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…• Open communication is potentially an effective approach to reconcile conflict; however, it is difficult to practice in many families , Conn et al (2013), Derlan et al (2018), Goh (2006), Goh and Kuczynski (2010), Goodman (2007), Huang et al (2021), Leung and Fung (2014) Themes/subthemes Summary of findings References achieve childrearing goals…”

Section: Referencesmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Toward an integrative framework of intergenerational coparenting within family systems: A scoping review

Bai

Chen

et al. 2022

J of Family Theo & Revie

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Intergenerational coparenting has become increasingly prevalent globally. Based on 42 papers identified from a comprehensive search of published studies in five databases, this scoping review identified five major themes related to intergenerational coparenting: power and authority, division of labor, conflict, coping and adaptation, and reciprocity. Guided by family systems theory and an intersectionality perspective, we developed an integrative intergenerational coparenting framework that covers five key themes, illustrates their interrelationships, and links them to influential factors at the individual, familial, sociocultural, and policy levels. This framework can guide future studies on intergenerational coparenting and inform the development of interventions for effectively addressing pragmatic needs of joint childcare, preventing conflict in intergenerational and coparenting relationships, devising useful coping and adaptation strategies for obtaining desirable coparenting outcomes, and nurturing cooperation and reciprocity in the process of coparenting to safeguard the well-being and functioning of the entire family system.

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