GRAND Magazine - Fall 2021 - 40

grandfamilies
Although there has been some improvement in
the parent, caregiver, and child well-being in recent
months compared to a year ago, rates of distress are
still elevated. For many families, these issues are tied
to difficulties making ends meet financially. At the
height of the pandemic, in summer and fall of 2020,
more than one in three families with young children
couldn't afford food, housing, and/or utilities, and
these numbers were even higher for some subgroups
(single-parent households, households with a child
with special needs, and households with Black and
Latinx family members.). One in four families is still experiencing
these material hardships. Families have badly
needed pandemic financial relief to pay for basic necessities,
and many have accrued significant new debt due to
being out of work. In July the Child Tax Credit, designed
to address some of these issues, started to be distributed
to millions of families, and our survey will help to determine
if it helps to address the financial (and related emotional)
challenges families are facing.
"
40 GRAND Fall 2021
Grandparents have also played
a key role in supporting
children's education...
providing childcare, assisting with children's learning, and
simply playing with and enjoying their grandchildren.
Grandparents also are a key part of the fabric of many families,
helping out with chores, providing emotional support
to both parents and children, and in some instances helping
out financially.
"
One topic that has gotten lost in the shuffle all too
frequently during the pandemic is the way in which
grandparents' roles have been affected. TheRAPID study
explored this question and found that many changes
have occurred. Before the pandemic, many grandparents
played significant roles in the lives of their children and
grandchildren, helping out in numerous ways, including
These roles have changed since before the pandemic.
Grandparents have decreased their roles, providing care
and educational support, playing with grandchildren, and
helping with household chores. Interestingly, play is the
area that was most negatively impacted. In contrast, grandparents
have provided increased emotional support to
families, and (to a lesser extent) financial support.
The areas in which roles decreased are undoubtedly due
in large part to the challenges that were imposed in grandparents
being able to spend time with their grandchildren
during the pandemic as a result of social distancing,
and concerns about older adults contracting COVID-19.
The study shows 67% of families say that grandparents'
in-person time with grandchildren decreased. However, it
is quite noteworthy that our data show these decreases in
grandparent in-person support were counterbalanced by
increased emotional and financial support. 41% of families
reported that there was an increase in the amount of
remote contact that grandparents had with grandchildren
(including video, phone, and social media contact).
Grandparents have also played a key role in supporting
children's education as schools went to remote or
only in-person part-time. Next to parents grandparents
were the most likely of any other group (other relatives,
friends, neighbors, or other children) to help fill gaps left
in children's education as parents and caregivers struggled
to balance work and supporting their young child's
learning. In fact, 38% of parents reported that a grandparent
was still helping out in this area.
As the nation enters the fall season, one thing for certain
maybe that the pandemic will bring more uncertainty.
As a grandparent, you play a critical role and can continue
to help address the challenges that come with uncertainty
and change.
Here are a few ways you can offer to support and connect
with your grandchildren:
* Have a weekly zoom or facetime call with your grandchildren
to help out with homework or play an online
game.
block
* Host the grandchildren in your backyard or on your
* Offer to help pay for child care, groceries, or school
supplies
* Call your grandchildren's parents, ask them how they
are doing, and just listen.
Jaia Peterson Lent is Deputy Executive
Director of Generations United, a national
organization dedicated to improving
lives. Home to the National Center on
Grandfamilies, Generations United is a
leading voice for issues affecting families
headed by grandparents or other relatives.

https://www.facebook.com/GRANDmagazine https://www.twitter.com/grandmmagazine?lang=en http://www.gu.org/Portals/0/documents/14-National_Center_on_Grandfamilies_Overview.pdf http://www.gu.org/Portals/0/documents/14-National_Center_on_Grandfamilies_Overview.pdf http://www.gu.org/Portals/0/documents/14-National_Center_on_Grandfamilies_Overview.pdf http://www.gu.org/Portals/0/documents/14-National_Center_on_Grandfamilies_Overview.pdf

GRAND Magazine - Fall 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of GRAND Magazine - Fall 2021