Layout 1

Marriage and Family Life: The Middle and LateYears

poverty (GrandFacts,2007).However,

grandparent-headedhomesin which

grandparentsarestillworkingareoften

morefinancially stablethan parent-headed

homes,becauseworkinggrandparents

generally earn morethan theyounger

parents.

Family structure and dynamics can

suffer when children do not live with their

two biological parents.Grandmother-

headed households,in which no parents

are present,are more likely to be poor and

receive public assistance (GrandFacts,

2007).Grandchildren in households with

both grandparents present,but no parents,

are more likely to have no health

insurance (Kirby & Kaneda,2002).

Grandparents and grandchildren both

would benefit from policies and programs

intended to help families face these kinds

of issues.As the number of grandparent-

headed families increases,we will likely see

more concessions to assist children and

adults in these families.

Ethnic differences in grandparenting.

Grandparentingstylesvaryamong

differentethnicgroups.InwhiteAmerican

families,thereisadesireforaclose,

satisfying,stablerelationshipbetween

grandparents,parents,andgrandchildren,

butatthesametime,independencefrom

theirkin.Grandparentsdesireaffectionand

respectfromtheirgrandchildrenbutdo

notwanttobeobligatedtothem.White

Americanfamiliesarelesslikelythanany

otherethnicgrouptoco-residewitha

grandparent(Cherlin&Furstenberg,1997;

Simmons&Dye,2003).

Whilecare-givinggrandparentscome

fromallsocialclasses,thereisahigherrate

of singleAfrican-Americangrandparents

fromurban,low-incomehouseholdsthan

inanyotherracialorethnicclass(Kelch,

Children can benefit tremendously from a relationship

with their grandparents, however, being raised by

grandparents can be disadvantageous for children.

Grandmothers in African-American families

tend to be influential and respected by their

children and grandchildren.

©Fotosearch

©JupiterImages