Aging

This paper summarizes a variety of articles, which explore the issue of grandparents serving as surrogate parents. Dr. Charlie Steele suggested that 3.1 million children live with their grandparents; 2 million of these live exclusively with their grandparents. He also said that there are a variety of factors, which lead grandparents to take on such a role. Author Meredith Minkler details this in her writing: “For increasing numbers, grandparenting has in fact become ‘second-time-around parenting,’ as a consequence of factors including alcohol and drug abuse, teenage pregnancy, divorce, incarceration, and AIDS.” (Minkler & Roe 1996). Minkler also notes that this grandparent as caregiver phenomenon is experienced by all socio-economic and ethnic groups, but that it seems to be more prevalent in impoverished areas.
As more and more grandparents step into the role of care-provider for their grandchildren, it is important to consider the costs and rewards that they expe...