3040* Week 12
Discuss the differences in the cultural role of grandparents - collectivist vs. individualistic cultures
Cultural differences in the roles grandparents play in relation to their grandchildren › Individualistic cultures Grandparents maintain close relationships with their grandchildren while living independently from the parent-child household › Collectivistic cultures Grandparents are more integrated into the daily lives of grandchildren They are expected to play a central role in the upbringing of grandchildren
Discuss how non-normative transitions negatively influence parent-child relationships.
Detrimental affect on middle aged parents and their children › Strong developmental expectations for children Feel they cannot carry on their own lives until children have made these important transitions Reminder that parents have not socialized their adult children to be independently and capable adults
Discuss grandparenthood and psychological development. Discuss what "second chance" means, how grandparents participant in the lives of children, and the
"Second Chance" at generativity › Care for new generation more vigorously and less ambivalently than with their own children › Participate in a number of ways of guiding and maintaining children E.g., babysitting or taking children for weekend visit
3 types of grandparent caregivers
3 types of grandparent caregivers: › Those with legal custody › Those who provide food and shelter but have no legal rights › Those who provide daily care but have no parental responsibilities
GRANDPARENTS DURING WIDOWHOOD
A universal and normative social status transition › Generally has a positive impact on both middle-aged persons and their adult children ›
Discuss the 2 concerns
Concerns of custodial grandparents: › Ensuring the safety of their grandchildren › Monitoring interactions between them and their parents
Discuss grandparenthood as a normative transition.
Perceptions have changed over the years › Grand parenting is about generations not necessarily old age Range in age from 40 to 110 years › Much diversity in grandparents › Roles vary in form and function Negotiated within the family E.g., family historians, mentors, and caregivers
Discuss what a social status transition is
Relationships between middle aged adults and children are altered through series of social status transitions › Social status transitions = Changes in individuals life that modify that person's social role › Adult Children's Social Status Transitions
Discuss the challenges and stresses experienced by care-givers
Spouses more frequently become care-givers than adult children › Wives typically care for husbands Mothers care for by daughters › "Sandwich_" Generation Myth › Middle-aged adult children who are raising own dependent children and providing care for elderly parents Reality: adults caregivers are in late mid-life or early old age and typically do not have children
Discuss older adult care-givers of grandchildren
Substantial increase in the number of grandparents raising their grandchildren
Discuss the factors that influence degree of interaction for retried parents.
Support required from adult children is minimal › Experience greater family participation › Factors that influence degree of interaction GEOGRAPHIC DISTANCE More than 10 miles: Fathers decrease, mothers increase Less than 10 miles: Fathers increase, mothers decrease GENDER PRESENCE OR ABSENCE OF GRANDCHILDREN Fathers more likely to visit childless children Mothers more likely to visit children with children at home
Discuss the impact of the death of an older parent, the affect the death has on other family relationships and the three legacies parents want to leave behind. Which legacy is more important to parents?
The loss of a parent during adulthood is significant due to the importance of the parent-child relationship at any age › Generally, the death of a parent negatively impacts the relationships adults have with their siblings › Legacy that parents leave for their adult children, and grandchildren, consists of three distinct but overlapping categories Biological legacy Material legacy Legacy of Values
Identify and discuss the contributions of grandparents
They help their families by just being there › Symbols of longevity and continuity Availability increases feelings of security in younger generations › Family History The evolution of the family is passed down from generation to generation by the stories told by grandparents and great-grandparents › Mentors and role models › Crisis managers in the family
Discuss the stage of Erikson's psychosocial theory that aging older parents are going through o What are the challenges / crisis that they are working through - what factor is linked to the outcome of this crisis?
-- Aging older parents are going through the INTEGRITY VS. DESPAIR stage › Individuals re-examine their own lives and make judgments about whether or not they have accomplished the things they had hoped for in their work and personal relationships If interpret life as positive › Incorporate a sense of integrity › If look back with regrets › Develop sense of despair › THESE TWO OUTCOMES ARE LINKED to whether adult children have turned out as parents had hoped they would
Discuss the 2 non-normative transitions of middle aged parents; how this affects mothers and fathers relationships with their sons and daughters, and any specific factors or issues that create challenges to parent- child relationships.
1. Divorce and Remarriage › Negatively affects parent-child relationships Divorced older fathers experience decline in contact with at least one adult child Remarriages reduce financial assistance they provide adult children Divorced older mothers more likely to experience increase in contact with an adult child Also likely to have little or no contact with adult children 2. Second generation fathers › Relationships more strained when divorced father has more children › Become "fathers" because New partner wants children Like idea of having more children More time to spend with children then had with adult children
Discuss the 4 factors that influence the quality of relationships between older parents and their adult children.
1. How close they live to one another Older persons prefer to live near their children Majority live less than an hour away 2. The frequency of their interactions with each other Interaction rates are high Marital status of older person plays a role Married women interact less with children 3. The degree to which they provide mutual aid to one another › Both directions, multidimensional Consists of child care, housework, information and advice, and money and gifts Older parents are primarily donors 4. The degree of closeness between them › Intimacy marked by two features See other person as individual with strengths/weaknesses Deep concern for other party's well-being Factors Influencing Relationship Quality
13. Tom is 67 years old. After watching an episode of Oprah, he starts to think about his life and the expectations he had for his adult children. Which of the following potential outcomes is correct?
A. If Tom reflects on his life and has regrets, he will develop despair, and this is also related to his children meeting his expectations for them. B. If Tom reflects on his life and sees it has being positive, he will develop a sense of integrity, and this is also related to his children not meeting his expectations for them. C. If Tom reflects on his life and has no regrets, he will not develop despair, and this is also related to his children not meeting his expectations for them. D. If Tom reflects on his life and sees it has being positive, he will develop a sense of integrity, and this is also related to his children meeting his expectations for them.
16. The geographical distance between older parents and their adult children
A. Is lessened as older parents grow older B. Remains the same as parents grow older C. Becomes significantly greater as parents get older D. Detrimentally affects close ties between older parents and their adult children
14. For those adult children living less than 10 miles, their
A. Mothers' retirement is associated with fewer visits B. Fathers' retirement is associated with fewer visits. C. Both fathers' and mothers' retirement is associated with more visits. D. Mothers' and fathers' retirement contributes to strains in the parent-child relationship.
15. Which of the following is NOT one of the characteristics of parents that influence whether they will be cared for by their children?
A. Their marital status B. The number of children they have C. Their personality D. Their level of education
o Identify and discuss the 3 social structural positions that determine the quality of parent-child relationships
AGE Generally has a positive influence on intergenerational relationships Experience less conflict Experience greater closeness in relationships with children and parents › Factors Influencing Relationship Quality GENDER › Of both older parents and middle-aged children impacts intergenerational relations More affectionate ties between mothers and daughters Less affectionate ties between sons and fathers › An important gender role that contributes to relationship quality across the generations is that of kinkeeper Gather the family for celebrations and keep members in touch with one another ETHNICITY › Culture in which relationships have developed has large influence on relationship quality Individualistic cultures (e.g., US, Canada, and Britain) Middle aged persons and elderly parents are not expected to live together › Collectivistic cultures (e.g., India, South America, Asia, and Africa) Older persons will live with middle aged children
The Stress of Care-giving
Caregivers juggle work responsibilities and stretch their finances while caring for an elderly parent › A higher frequency of disturbing behaviors exhibited by the family member in their care is related to a higher burden for the caregiver Low informal help from family and friends Caregivers of family members who exhibit more disturbing behaviors and functional limitations Receive less informal help from family and friends
Discuss the characteristic of older parents that influence whether they will be cared for by their children or not - hint we discussed 4
Child characteristics that influence decisions for parental care Age Older children are less likely to be in the role of caring for an aging parent than are younger children Gender Women provide considerably more care of aging parents than do men Both daughters and daughters-in-law are more likely to assume the role of caregiver of older parents than are sons or sons-in-law Marital status Tendency of spouses to take on the role of caregiver for their spouses who are ill or disabled Level of education Parents with more education typically have higher incomes and are better able to provide for their own care by funding in-home care
Discuss the child characteristics that influence decisions to provide parental care
Child characteristics that influence decisions for parental care › Geographic location Farther adult children live from their parents, less likely they are to provide care parents › Employment Less care is devoted to parental care by adult children who work
What is a counter transition and how does that apply to grandparenthood?
Counter-transition (not self-initiated) Brought on by the transition of another family member More easily accepted if it is considered normative or "on time"
DAUGHTERS DURING WIDOWHOOD
Daughters provide more care for parents › Likely to receive financial compensation from parents - assistance is reciprocated by support from older parents › Older parents more likely to be providers than recipients of help Parental characteristics associated with providers Higher income, home ownership, being married or widowed rather than divorced
Discuss what happens between aging parents and adult children as adult children provide more direct care to their parents: aging parents reactions, adult children reactions, and any cultural differences
Many adult children provide direct care for their parents but frequently expect their aging parents to reciprocate with deference When older persons do not defer to their children who provide care Intergenerational relations often become strained › Adult children are likely to set limits on their care giving When Older Parents Become Chronically Ill and/or Frail There are differences in care giving dynamics based on individualistic or collectivistic values › Older persons with individualistic values Emphasize personal independence › Those who embrace collectivist values History of working together for the welfare of the entire family and are more likely to defer to their children
Discuss the normative and non-normative transitions that adult children experience.
NORMATIVE TRANSITION › Socials status transitions occur as young adults Graduate from University Get married Start their own families and have children › Contributes to increased intergenerational contact and closeness NON-NORMATIVE TRANSITION › Experiences of getting a divorce or loosing one's job › Tend to negatively affect parent-child relationships
Identify and discuss the 3 stages that adult children experience that parallel their parents aging process
STAGE 1. Concern for their parents health First stage of filial role development As indicated by the name, adult children show high levels of concern for their parents health STAGE 2 - Urging (2nd stage) › Adult children see their parents' physical health worsening and attempt to influence them to take action to improve their health STAGE 3: Action (3rd stage) › Adult children observe that their parents' functional mobility, maintenance of daily activities, and everyday problem solving are deteriorating Take direct action to assist their parents in dealing with their health problems
Discuss how the role of grandparents has change over time and why there is a new focus on grandparents.
Why a New Focus on Grandparents? Longevity has lead to longer periods of grand parenting and more potential involvement › Increases in maternal employment and needs for childcare › Increase in multigenerational households › smaller, closely spaced families led to less overlap between the roles of parents and grandparents
Discuss and identify the most common age group and income level of care-giving grandparents
› 20 % increase in the number of Canadian children living with grandparents with no parents present between 1991-2001 › 59% female *****
Discuss the 3 reasons why there have been increases in grandparent care-givers
› Better reporting of child abuse and neglect › Increased drug abuse › More women going to jail
Fathers new role might contribute to resentment in adult children
› Center on three issues Seeing their fathers spend more time with younger siblings then they had experienced Concern about division of family financial resources Not being as free to rely on their fathers assistance with their own resources
five dimensions of meaning in grandparenthood
› Five dimensions of meaning that grandparenthood brings to life review process › Role centrality › Value eldership › Immortality through clan › Re-involvement with personal past › Indulgence
What ethnicities may be more likely to become adult care-givers and why?
› More common in African American and Latino American communities Culturally congruent role and fits with commitment of families members by providing a safety net for children Kinship care in those families is an acceptable response of family member loss and separation
Discuss the normative and non-normative transitions of middle aged parents.
› Normative transitions Retirement and widowhood › Non-normative transitions Divorce or remarriage of adult parents Present challenges for adult children
How do parents perceive their role as a grandparent?
› Perceive the role of grandparent as easier and more gratifying parental role › Provides pleasure and gratification Does not require them to take on the major responsibility of care and socialization of children
Discuss how normative transitions positively influence parent child relationships. Discuss the two factors related to positive impacts.
› Transitions verify that adult children are conforming to social norms in terms of maturation development › Transitions themselves increase the number of adult social roles that adult children share with their parents
