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Definition
Grandparenting is the act of caring for (or involvement with) one’s grandchildren or the children of one’s children.
Description
Demographic Influences on Grandparenting
A number of demographic changes over the past century have altered the opportunity structures for grandparent-grandchild relationships. Dramatic increases in life expectancy have allowed a greater proportion of individuals to live long enough to become grandparents (Uhlenberg & Kirby, 1998). In the United States, more than half of 50–64-year-olds and about 80 % of those 65 and older report having grandchildren (Pew Research Center, 2009). The grandparent role typically spans a greater period of time than in the past, with many occupying the role for 20 or 30 years if not more (Bengtson, Rosenthal, & Burton, 1990). These decades of co-survivorship provide opportunities for grandparents to know their grandchildren not only as children but as adults as well....
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Yorgason, J., LaPierre, T.A., Hayter, B. (2014). Grandparenting. In: Michalos, A.C. (eds) Encyclopedia of Quality of Life and Well-Being Research. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0753-5_1193
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