Honoring our parents, continued...

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Click on the below article link to obtain background information to this blog post:

Examiner article

It seems to me like many people reside in extremes degrees of adult Parent relationships, on one end adult children are living with parents and these parents are practically raising their grandchildren or their parents are not included in their adult lives or minimally when they need something. I believe family connection that honors or nurturers our roots or those who have helped us get here, is beneficial to all involved. It is a bond that grows and strengthens with age.

The Huffington Post offers these statistics and insights, “

“With single parenting on the rise, more and more grandparents are stepping up to help their adult children raise kids, a report released Tuesday found. The research, conducted by US 2010, a research project on changes in American society funded by Brown University and the Russell Sage Foundation, corroborates a recent study by the Pew Research Center that showed that 7.7 million U.S. children -- one in 10 -- were living in the same household as one of their grandparents in 2011. In most cases, that meant living in their grandparent's home.

So why are so many seniors playing such pivotal roles in raising their grandkids? In an interview with the Washington Post, Amy Goyer, AARP’s expert on multigenerational and family issues, cited the 2007 recession as one the biggest reasons for the uptick in multigenerational households. ‘Grandparents have always been a safety net,’ she said, adding that nearly 20 percent of grandparents with grandchildren in the house are living below the poverty line. The study concluded that almost one-third of grandmothers who live with their grandchildren are the primary caregivers. Black and Hispanic grandmothers are more likely than white grandmothers to live with grandchildren and black grandmothers are more likely than Hispanic grandmothers to be the primary caregivers, the report found.”

Why are grandparents involved? Because they care about their loved ones and they want to help even if they are unable to afford it. Or, maybe they regret not being able to give you a better upbringing so they are trying to make a different by helping you and their grandchildren. Whatever the reason, it needs to be honored.

If you are not actively visiting and helping your parents in your adult life, I challenge you to pick up the phone and make the effort; a little bit will go a long way. If you don't believe me, talk to an adult who has lost his or her parents and get their perspective. Most would do anything to talk to their deceased parents again.