Showing papers on "Grandparent published in 1983"

The relationship with grandparents: contact, importance, role conception.

Abstract: While studies have considered the importance of the grandparent and grandchild relationship from the perspective of the former, the present study explores the perspective of young adult grandchildren concerning this relationship. Four relationship variables are examined: 1) the amount of contact; b) the assessed adequacy of contact; 3) the importance of the relationship; and 4) the role conception. The results of this study support the position that grandparents remain a significant factor in the lives of young adults.

The role of grandparents.

Abstract: A lot of negative inferences have been drawn from these trends but few have highlighted the positive aspects. Usually where you find a lot of negativity, you find a lot of ignorance. One of the negative inferences is that older people are a burden on society and as society ages there will be a greater number of older people dependent on fewer workers. Yet, how many older people have taken on the role of childminding so that their sons and daughters can go out to work? One of the recent debates in Irish society was the contribution made by teachers to the Celtic Tiger, something they said was unrecognised and undervalued. How much more could grandparents claim that they were one of the pillars of the Celtic Tiger? Economists have never put a value on their contribution and dependency ratios they quote do not take account of those over 65 who are in employment. One of the reasons in fact why there are fewer older people in the workforce can be attributed directly to ageist attitudes.

Generational differences in spouse similarity in educational attainment

Abstract: A lesser degree of assortative mating for educational attainment is reported for parents than for maternal and paternal grandparents of the three major raciallethnic groups (persons of Chinese, European, and Japanese ancestries) who took part in the Hawaii Family Study of Cognition. Differences across generations are significant for persons of European and of Japanese ancestries but not for persons of Chinese ancestry. The data support the belief that there has been a secular change toward decreased homogamy.

Household structure among welfare families: correlates and consequences.

Abstract: This paper examines multigeneration household structures among recipients of Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC). The AFDC Recipient Characteristics Surveys for 1975 (31063 cases) and 1977 (27792 cases) provide data on individuals within households as they are related to the youngest child. Households are classified as 1) mother and children alone (60% of families) 2) mother and father or stepfather with children (14%) 3) mother and children with one or more grandparents (10%) 4) mother and children with other adult relatives or nonrelatives (6%) and 5) households with no mother (9%). Black families are more likely to include grandparents and less likely to include fathers or stepfathers than white and Hispanic families. In families with grandparents nearly 2/3 of mothers have never married. Although the formation of multigenerational households may relate to the mothers life cycle stage the greatest majority of AFDC mothers at any age live alone with their children. Teenage AFDC mothers are most likely to live in multigenerational households but by their early 20s are most likely to live alone with 2-3 children. The authors find that mothers aged 24 and under and especially 19 and under living with grandparents are more likely to stay in school than mothers living alone with their children. Living in an extended family other than with grandparents has no effect on education and no household structure effects income. Households with mothers and children living alone have the highest average AFDC monthly payment; households that include grandparents have the lowest. Comparing household types with monthly payments shows that when AFDC payments are too low single mothers and children often must become part of an extended household. The data suggest that welfare families form multigenerational households for economic more than social-psychological reasons. Future research should compare welfare families with low income nonwelfare families to determine if public assistance motivates young mothers to leave their families prematurely examine motivations to complete schooling and examine effects of the multigenerational family on eventual marriage of welfare mothers.

Parenting and Parentage: Distinct Aspects of Children's Importance.

Abstract: This paper explores the attitudes concerning childrens importance in ones life over time. Children add a special dimension to the lives of their parents and grandparents. Interviews with select older couples suggest that these attitudes change over time. 6 retired couples were intensively interviewed who represent 6 distinct family composition patterns including a childless couple adopted couple blended couple parent couple grandparent couple and great grandparent couple. 30 attitude statements were presented to each couple using the card sort procedure to assess if the statement were of primary importance of intermediate importance or irrelevant. Results reveal that reasons motivating one to become a parent may be quite different from the actual satisfactions derived from the parenting one has done. Wives seemed particularly conscious of the parenting role; husbands identified more strongly with the mere fact of ones being a parent (parentage). Childless persons or older parents who had not also realized a grandparent status were sensitive to their not having fulfilled a role most others perform; this was especially evident for women. These findings emerging from exploratory research on the importance of children to life satisfaction during retirement have implications for prospective parents and grandparents adoptive parents and the childless. (authors modified)

SHORT COMMUNICATION Generational Differences in Spouse Similarity in Educational Attainment

Abstract: A lesser degree of assortative mating for educational attainment is reported for parents than for maternal and paternal grandparents of the three major racial~ethnic groups (persons of Chinese, European, and Japanese ancestries) who took part in the Hawaii Family Study of Cognition. Differences across generations are significant for persons of European and of Japanese ancestries but not for persons of Chinese ancestry. The data support the belief that there has been a secular change toward decreased homogamy.

The Value and Cost of Children: Cross- generational and Sex Differences In Perceptions Among Parents

Abstract: Generational and sex differences in the perceived value and cost of raising children were examined using data derived from the parents and grandparents of children enrolled in the Early Childhood Center at Ohio Wesleyan University. Questionnaires were mailed to parents who in turn were asked to forward questionnaires to their like-sex parents. 135 questionnaires were returned and (a 57% response rate). The Fawcett Value of Children questionnaire was used to elicit information on 9 attitude dimensions of a 31-item Likert scale. 6 of the 9 dimensions identified 5 positive values that parents can realize through their children. 2 dimensions identified whether the parents had children because of external social pressures or whether child rearing was the outcome of a personal decision based on an assessment a parental resoures. 1 dimension identified the financial and emotional costs of child rearing. The 9 dimensions were 1)continuity of family and tradition 2)parental achievement 3)fulfillment of sex and age roles 4)expressions of love and happiness 5)goals and incentives 6)social status in the community 7)externally controlled decision 8)personal decision and 9)costs of children. A 7-point scale was used to score the respondents degree of agreement or disagreement with each of the 9 dimensions and mean scale values were calculated for the sex and age subgroups. Analysis of variance and Pearson product-moment correlations were computed. The 4 dimensions with the highest mean scale values (indicating greatest agreement) were 1)goals and incentives (5.03) 2)cost of children (4.35) 3)personal decision (4.22) and 4)parental achievement (4.20). Males indicated significantly higher agreement with the continuity of tradition scale and the sex and age role scale than females. There was a lack of congruence between husbands and wives grandfathers and fathers and mothers and daughters. Grandparents agreed more strongly than parents with the scales measuring the positive values of having children and with the externally controlled decision scale. Parents agreed more strongly than grandparents with the personal decision scale. Possible explanations for the generational differences were the impact of the womens movement increased educational opportunities for women and life span developmental changes.

There cannot be an old whale: children’s understanding of old age

Abstract: The objective of the current presentation was to explore how young children understand old age and the emotional and behavioural consequences it may bear. The participants, were 200 chldren, 4–6 to 6–0 years old, who were individually interviewed. Most children focused only on one external characteristic which was not sufficient as criteria of “old”. The older children used more functional terms, stating primarily functions old people cannot do. Children did not consider their grandparents as old. Their understanding of old people was heavily affected by culturally mediated views.

Intergenerational Family Problems

Abstract: The intergenerational family is basic to our existence. There is no such thing as a one-generation family, although there are one-generation family segments. Most families consist, at the minimum, of three generations—child, parent, and grandparent. Separation by death or geography may lessen, but does not remove, the impact of any member on the function of the existing family or family segment.

Rural Practitioner, Rural Practice

Abstract: We embrace conflicting images of the traditional rural physician. On the one hand, the old-time country doctor in solo practice symbolizes the idyllic, pastoral life we associate with our nation’s agricultural past. The horse-and-buggy doctor, the dependable general practitioner who delivered babies, kept their parents healthy, and comforted dying grandparents, represents community stability and concern.