Kincare Grandparents

Raising kids well into your golden years is never part of the plan but if you’re one of the thousands of grandparents out there tasked with raising your grandkids, just remember you’re doing the world a service. Finances can be particularly straining at this point so consider the following: Grants – Many government assistance programs offer grants specifically for people in your situation. You can get discounted school lunches, educational supplies and even groceries if you talk to your city’s government. Family – Oftentimes in a situation where the grandparents are raising the kids the family is strewn far and wide. Appeal to your children and grown grandchildren for financial support – you may be surprised who’s willing to chip in and help. Loans – Try not to take out too much credit card debt but if you must, keep it all on one card. Use social security and the like to pay off the monthly balance or visit debtsettlementusa.com if you really get in a pickle- they can help you streamline your bills and sometimes reduce your payments altogether.

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It can be difficult to grab time for reading when you’re a grandparent caring for a young child. However, we recommend making time while your grandchild is at school or childcare to check out these resources. All are written within the last 20 yearsthe research and support on kincare grandparents is a relatively new field.The Essential Grandparent: A Guide to Making a Difference by Dr. Lillian Carson (Health Communications, Inc., 1997) is a valuable resource for any grandparent that has or desires a close relationship with their grandchildren. However, it’s especially useful for grandparents caring for their grandchildren while trying to navigate their relationship with their adult child. If the parent is not able to care for the child himself or herself, it can create strains in the familial dynamic.Relatives Raising Children: An Overview of Kinship Care edited by Joseph Crumbley and Robert L. Little (Child Welfare League of America, 1997) is geared toward child welfare professionals, but its discussion of legal and clinical topics of interest to kinship caregivers (like legal rights and both sides’ feelings of anger or anxiety) makes it an important book for grandparents as well. (Read the article)

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