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Posted By: granjudy Grandparents raising grandchildren - 07/09/04 06:40 PM
Any grandparents raising grandchildren? We've had our grandson since he was 18 mos old. He's almost 18 yrs now. Just want to hear others viewpoints & ideas.
Posted By: rs Re: Grandparents raising grandchildren - 07/20/04 07:42 AM
We are going to be grandparents for the first time in February. Our son and daughter-in-law told us the great news a couple weeks ago.

We do have several friends who have been raising their grandchildren. They report the experience as both a challenge and a joy.

What has been your experience?
Posted By: toetapping Re: Grandparents raising grandchildren - 08/30/06 10:04 PM
I have friends who raised their granddaughter and they feel it has bought them closer together, feel younger and would be lost with out her.

Looking from anothe point of view though it has altered their life considerably and they have lost contact with old friends as they are caught up in sports day and school activities. The sad reality we do not have much in common with them now.
Posted By: AnaMaree Re: Grandparents raising grandchildren - 08/31/06 05:50 AM
I was raised by my grandparents. I was very blessed. The skipping a generation thing wasn't such a big deal. It made it fun, they had a great sense of humor about the diffrences and we are/were so very close. I treasure all the moments we shared.
Posted By: toetapping Re: Grandparents raising grandchildren - 09/18/06 08:17 AM
SkinnyDipr. They are nice words and I am going to pass them on to my friends.

I wish you all the happiness in life.
Posted By: "Rosie" Re: Grandparents raising grandchildren - 08/29/07 04:26 PM
I got custody of my grandson shortly after he was born, he will be 23 yrs old next month, in college and still lives with me,
Posted By: joanj Re: Grandparents raising grandchildren - 08/31/07 09:13 PM
I really admire grandparents who can take on little ones. I babysit my 10 month old grand-daughter and have to say that at my age (56) I don't think I could do it full time. She has a 3 year old brother who really wears me out.

My sister raised her grand daughter but she was only about 40 at the time.

It isn't that I wouldn't raise a grandchild if there was no other choice but it gets difficult to handle kids at all once you're in your 50's (IMO anyway).
I know what you mean. I remember when my mother was in her 50s and I couldn't understand why she was reluctant to babysit for me. Now I understand.
Posted By: joanj Re: Grandparents raising grandchildren - 02/23/08 04:07 PM
I've been taking care of my one year old granddaughter for the past 3 days with 3 to go. I really admire grandparents who can take on raising a little one. I used to do daycare so I was very used to little kids, both physically and mentally, but not so much these days!
I have helped my daughter raise her son and I feel I have been blessed and given a new lease on life! To once again experience the same things I went through as a child is so enlightening and teaches me so much about myself. To see how my grandson handles issues in this day and age is amazing compared to the way I handled things. Back then was such a simpler way of life. I am proud of my grandson. I also have a beautiful granddaughter, a young teenager. We do not live very close to each other, so I don't get to see her often. She is very intelligent, gentle and loving and reminds me a little of myself at that age. What a joy being a grandparent is and to be able to get involved with raising them.
Posted By: Ruthy Re: Grandparents raising grandchildren - 03/27/08 12:00 AM
My youngest daughter is raising her 3 grandchildren. It's about to wear her out...but the mother ran off with drugs on her mind and strange men...the father ..her son.. is there too and it's tough with discipline problems..they live about 2 hours from me so I don't get to see them much...I think this is way too much for a 50 year old....thank goodness none of my four children brought children home for me to raise.
Posted By: Astera Re: Grandparents raising grandchildren - 05/25/11 07:14 AM
When grandparents or other relatives raise and parent children, it is for various reasons. Other relatives raising children are often called Kinship Caregivers. I prefer the term Kinship Parents. When grandparents or other relatives become the full-time parent, it may be because there was the death of a parent or a parent is away in the military; this is happening more than we like right now with devastating effects. It may simply be because a child was having problems with his/her social environment and needed a change, but more often than not, there is a correlation between alcohol and drug abuse and neglect on the part of the parents. The parent/s may be mentally ill, incarcerated, or simply and unfortunately incapable of caring for their children.
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