A surprising amount of children depend on on their grandparents support for the security of a home. Grandparents who raise their grandchildren are commonly vulnerable, but so are the grandchildren. Custodial grandchildren are believed to be at larger risk of emotional and behavioral problems than other children. I am curious to know what psychological effects of grandparents raising their grandchildren have on the child. I am particularly interested in this topic because I was raised by my grandparents, along with four of my brothers and six of my sisters, due to my mother being mentally ill. This paper will discuss the psychological effects and societal effects that custodial grandchildren undergo. It will also discuss some of the positive benefits that custodial grandchildren and grandparents endure together. There are many reasons why custodial grandchildren might receive care from their grandparents. These reasons typically include difficulties among their parents such as substance abuse, child abuse, child neglect, death, illness, divorce, and incarceration. According to Gregory Smith and Patrick Palmieri, “Such predicaments bear numerous risks of psychopathology among custodial grandchildren, including exposure to prenatal toxins, early childhood trauma, insufficient interaction with parents, family conflict, uncertainty about …show more content…
Many of the children who exhibit behavioral symptoms are treated in mental health settings. There is not a lot of research in today’s society that proves whether the behavioral problems are from conflicts in the family or from living with grandparents. However, it is a fact that custodial grandchildren compared to other children are increasingly being referred to for
Mental health counselors must first assess the family’s problems. Assessment begins with a history of the presenting problem, which includes making notes of exact dates and checking them for their relationship to events in the extended family, becoming aware of the history of the family, including the history of the parents’ courtship, their marriage, and childrearing years (et, al., 2017, p77). The counselor must be aware of where the family has lived, the history of the spouse’s births, sibling positions, and significant parts of their childhood history, and the functionality of their parents, which should be recorded in a genogram covering at least 3 generations (et, al., 2017, p77). The mental health counselor also must always practice confidentiality, and cultural competence in dealing with
Robertson, S. M., Zarit, S. H., Duncan, L. G., Rovine, M. J., & Femia, E. E. (2007). Family Caregivers Patterns of Positive and Negative Affect. Family Relations , 12-23.
As the above quote shows, parents are customarily seen as willing to to do anything and everything for their children's safety and health. Their perpetual love for their offspring allows them to willingly put themselves in any situation, if it benefits their children. This powerful love also extends greatly to grandparents. Due to their elderly age, many grandparents are viewed as incapable of providing sufficient care for their grandchildren. Although age does act as a roadblock, grandparents love for their grandchildren overcomes this. In “A Worn Path”, a short story written by Eudora Welty, the protagonist Phoenix Jackson defies
Hayslip, B.,Jr, & Kaminski, P. L. (2005). Grandparents raising their grandchildren: A review of the literature and suggestions for practice. The Gerontologist, 45(2), 262-9. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/211017012?accountid=13158
From birth, children are dependent on parents for survival and safety. Infants need this attachment in order to survive. Basic needs like shelter and food are things in that all human beings need; but for infants and children, in particular, they cannot survive independently without parents and guidance. Furthermore, as children grow, the parent-child attachment is not just physical, but it is also psychological. Adults who care for children through unconditional love and acceptance, provide positive living environments and self confidence which helps the child grow independently into an adult. Failure in this child-parent relationship in the form of long term neglect or trauma can have consequences in a child’s development physically and psychologically.
Abuse of children has become a major social problem and a main cause of many people's suffering and personal problems. Neglect, physical abuse, and sexual abuse have an immediate and long-term effects on a child's development. The long-term effects of abuse and neglect of a child can be seen in psychiatric disorders, increased rates of substance abuse, and relationship difficulties. Child abuse and neglect is a huge problem. Parents who abuse are people who have been abused and neglected themselves as children(Long Term Consequences).
Sweeney, M Megan (2007). Stepfather Families and the Emotional Well-Being of Adolescents. Journal of Health and Social Behavior. Vol 48, No. 1, 33-49
Letiecq, B. L., Bailey, S. J., & Porterfield, F. (2008, August). " We have no rights, we get no help" the legal and policy dilemmas facing grandparent caregivers. Journal of Family Issues, 29, 995-1012.
Before the 1800’s, children were looked upon as only property. During this time, if a couple were divorced, the children would go directly to the father, because “women were not permitted to own property” (Costanzo & Kraus, 2012). This was practice in child custody was known as “the legal doctrine of Pater familias” (Costanzo & Kraus, 2012). However by the 1800’s thoughts on child custody had changed to what is known as “best interest of the child standard” or BICS (Costanzo & Kraus, 2012). BICS is pretty self-explanatory; its meaning is that the thoughts and feelings of a child or children caught in a divorce were taken into account over those of the adults involved in the case. The child (ren) was at that time placed within the best situation. Since not everyone was in agreement over what is for the best of a child or children caught in a divorce, once again things regarding child custody changed.
Hertzog, Jodie, Holly S. Kleiner and Dena B. Targ. Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. Ed. UW Extension. 12 January 1999. 28 March 2008 .
Living with a perfect family is what most people want to have in their lives. Unfortunately, that does not apply to our world. It only lives in our fantasies. However, we perfectly live in this imperfect life with the people whom we ought to live by. Our magnificent life stories lie primarily on what is the will of God for each person.
One of the main focuses on research on neglect is the emphasis on mothers rather than fathers. Neglect is frequently interpreted ad a failure in mothering (Swift, 1995). In more recent years there has been a push towards recognizing the important roles fathers play in the development and well being of their children (Flouri and Buchanan, 2003). Among the variables that have been studied as risk factors for child neglect are demographic characteristics, parenting behaviour (as measured through self-report questionnaires and behavioural observations), parenting attitudes (including attributions and expectations for child's behaviour), and certain personality variables (such as anger, confidence, self-esteem, and impulse control).
Chalfie, Denise. Going it Alone: A Closer Look at Grandparents Parenting Grandchildren Pamphlet. Washington, D.C.: American Association of Retired Persons, 1994.
They say grandparents, are the two most favorite people in the world to children. Grandparents are the main characters of your childhood, they are the ones that leave you with the most beautiful memories of your life. Some grandparent’s teach you a very valuable lesson of life, they teach you respect, hard work, family values, and unlimited love. They show you their love in many ways, they say I love you in words as well as actions. Grandparents are the ones that sometimes get you out of trouble and guide you to the correct path. They show you trust, a trust that cannot never be broken.
This paper will give information about the reasons why grandparents are required to take care of grandchildren, positive effects of raising grandchildren, challenges of taking care of grandchildren, and what grandparents can do to help them cope.