Throughout history, grandparents have stepped in to provide safe and secure homes to their
grandchildren, replacing traumatic pasts with loving and hopeful futures.
Around nine million grandparents help look after their
grandchildren, spending an average of more than eight hours a week as childcarers.
One in seven look after their
grandchildren at least once a day and almost one in 10 has given up work or cut their hours to help with childcare.
for their childcare to do with 80% of their attention don't have Most grandparents relish the opportunity to spend more time with their
grandchildren Lara Crisp
The charity found 40% of grandparents in this age group who have regularly cared for their
grandchildren feel this way.
Growing numbers of grandparents are becoming the primary caregivers of
grandchildren for a variety of reasons.
Marilyn |a senior partner Stowe Family She points out that grandparents don't have an automatic right to contact their
grandchildren following a separation or divorce, which is why they end up going to court.
An hour with your
grandchildren can make you feel young again.
The study also reveals that giving tangible support to--or receiving it from--their
grandchildren affected the psychological well-being of grandparents, but not
grandchildren.
Grandmothers who care for their
grandchildren full-time need help for depression, say researchers writing in the July issue of Nursing Outlook.
She said that the greater emotional support grandparents and adult
grandchildren received from one another, the better their psychological health.
But if money was no object, they would take their
grandchildren swimming with dolphins or off to see Santa in Lapland, the survey by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment with YouGov UK reveals.
