Grandparenting in divorced families

Author： Ferguson   Neil (Author)   with (Author)   Douglas   Gillian (Author)   Lowe   Nigel (Author)   Murch   Mervyn (Author)   Robinson   Margaret (Author)  

Publisher： Policy Press‎

Publication year： 2004

E-ISBN: 9781847425843

P-ISBN(Paperback): 9781861344984

Subject： C91 Sociology

Keyword： Age groups: children

Language： ENG

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Grandparenting in divorced families

Description

This book is the first in-depth exploration of grandparents' relationships with adult children and grandchildren in divorced families. It asks what part grandparents might play in public policy and whether measures should be taken to support their grandparenting role. Do they have a special place in family life that ought to be recognised in law? This ground-breaking book is intended for a wide readership. Grandparents and parents in divorced families will identify with many of the thoughts, feelings and experiences reflected here. Academics in social science and law departments will encounter new thinking about the nature of the grandchild-grandparent relationship. Policy makers will find out more about recent policy initiatives and their strengths and limitations.

Chapter

GRANDPARENTING IN DIVORCED FAMILIES

Contents

Acknowledgements

1. Introduction

Introduction

Why did we choose to study grandparents?

Grandparents and public policy

Introduction to the study

Qualitative data analysis

Strengths and limitations of the study

The structure of the book

2. What do we already know about grandparents?

Researching grandparenting

Grandparents’ support for their adult children and grandchildren

Exchange Theory and reciprocity

Distance from grandparents’ home

Parents’ relationships with grandparents and the quality of grandparent–grandchild relationships

The different roles of grandmothers and grandfathers

Grandparent discipline

The number of grandchildren

Grandparent and resident parent employment

Maternal and paternal grandparents

Grandparents’ marital status

Race and ethnicity

Age of grandparents and their grandchildren

Styles of grandparenting

Concluding comments

3. Grandparents’ relationships with grandchildren: continuity and change

A changing relationship

Grandparent’s relationships with their grandchildren

Older grandparents

Grandparents’ reservations about their relationships with grandchildren

The relationship between pre- and post-divorce grandparenting

Confiding in grandparents

Concluding comments

4. Activities with grandparents

Introduction

The grandparents’ perceptions

The focus of grandparents’ attention

Affectionate relationships

‘Fun-seeking’ grandparents

Positive relationships with older grandchildren

Grandchildren’s reservations about their grandparents

The adult-centred/child-centred continuum

Concluding comment

5. Discipline and favouritism

Disciplining grandchildren

Paternal grandparents

Trust and conflict

Favourite grandchildren

Parents’ responses

Concluding comments

6. The main grandparents

Introduction

Maternal and paternal grandparenting

Comparing parents’ and grandchildren’s accounts

Fathers looking after the children

Resident fathers and paternal grandparenting

Differences between grandmothers and grandfathers

Perceptions of differences between grandmothers and grandfathers

Children’s views

Concluding comments

7. Grandparenting in divorced families: rights and policies

Grandparents and parental divorce

The legal position of grandparents

Grandparents’ rights

The Grandparents’ Association

Grandparenting and family policy initiatives

Concluding comments

8. Communicating in divorced families

Introduction

Telling grandparents about the planned separation

A trouble shared

The ‘other side’ of the divorced family

Concluding comments

9. Taking sides

Introduction

Grandparents’ partisan feelings

Grandparents’ resentment

A normal hostility?

Accounting for partisan behaviour

The problem of maintaining good relationships

The origins of partisan behaviour

Children or grandchildren?

‘Not in front of the children’

Grandchildren’s views

Concluding comments

10. ‘Being there’: grandparents’ financial, emotional and childcare support

Introduction

The link between obligation and affection

Supporting the family

‘Being there’ for the children and grandchildren

The ‘grandparent as parent’ continuum

The grandparents’ views

Parents’ perceptions of grandparents’ support

Grandchildren’s reactions

Paternal grandparents who are there for ‘the other side’

Maternal grandparents and their ex-sons-in-law

Concluding comments

11. Excluded grandparents

Introduction

The families

Fathers who severed contact with their own parents

Interviews with members of the Grandparents’ Association

Concluding comments

12. Conclusions: grandparents and family policy

The findings

The relevance to family policy and the law

Finance: payments for childcare

Improving the quality of grandparenting

Policy and the ‘norm of non-communication’

Family law and excluded grandparents

Childcare: contact and the ‘burden’ of care

Concluding comments

References

APPENDIX: The families and the researchmethods

Choice of method

The families

Recruiting family members to take part in the study

Method

The interview

Qualitative data analysis

Index