Childhood disabilities, particularly cognitive disabilities, are on the rise yet social programs and services to help US families respond to disabilities are not. Many families turn to grandparents for assistance juggling work, family responsibilities, and specialized therapies. This book is based on in-depth interviews with grandparents who are providing at least some care to grandchildren with disabilities. The analyses will help to better understand (1) under what conditions grandparents provide care and support, (2) what types and intensities of care and support grandparents provide, and (3) the impact of that care and support on grandparents’ social, emotional, physical, and financial wellbeing. In this fascinating and provocative book, Madonna Harrington Meyer and Ynesse Abdul-Malak take readers on a deep dive into the complex lives of grandparents who care for their disabled grandchildren. In Grandparenting Children with Disabilities, their interviews reveal the joy, meaning, and purpose grandparents find in caregiving, the challenges and frustrations they encounter, and the many ways they compromise their own health and well-being for the sake of their grandchildren. Drawing from theories of cumulative inequality and from their deep knowledge of the US policy context, the authors lay bare the systemic failures that leave families of children with disabilities without adequate support and that place the most vulnerable among them at grave physical, emotional, and financial risk... Jane McLeod, Provost Professor, Indiana University Grandparents in the U.S. already take on far more parenting responsibilities as compared to their peers in other countries. Grandparenting Children with Disabilities demonstrates that the intensity of these responsibilities is compounded for those whose grandchildren have disabilities given limited policy supports and a society still largely unaccommodating to those with disabilities. This book beautifully navigates the tension between the love these grandparents have for their grandchildren and the challenges they face caring for them. Pamela Herd, Professor, Georgetown University Grandparenting Children with Disabilities offers important insights about the lived experience of older adults who care for and care about their grandchildren...The authors skillfully integrate the stories they tell with consideration of macro social structural influences and life course perspectives... I recommend it highly! Eva Kahana, Distinguished University Professor, Case Western Reserve

Parentless Parents is the first book to show how the absence of grandparents impacts everything about the way mothers and fathers raise their children--from everyday parenting decisions to the relationships they have with their spouses and in-laws. For the first time in U.S. history, as the average age of women giving birth has increased significantly, millions of children are at risk of having fewer years with their grandparents than ever before. How has this substantial shift affected parents and kids? Journalist, award-winning television producer, and parentless parent Allison Gilbert has polled and studied more than 1,300 parentless parents from across the United States and a dozen other countries to find out. Through her pioneering research, Gilbert not only shares her own story and the significant and poignant effect that this trend has had on her and hundreds of other families, but also the myriad ways these mothers and fathers have learned to keep the memory of their parents alive for their children, and to find the support and understanding they need.

A beautiful meditation on the joys of being a grandparent and a practical guide to help you and your adult children make the most of your relationship with a grandchild. For many grandparents, a grandchild offers a second chance to become the parent they didn’t have the time or the energy to be when raising their own children. Being a grandparent, family relationships expert Jane Isay argues, is the opportunity to turn missed opportunities into delight. Drawing on her personal experience, dozens of interviews, and the latest findings in psychology, Isay shows how a grandparent can use his or her unique perspective and experience to create a deep and lasting bond that will echo throughout a grandchild’s life. She explores the realities of today’s multigenerational families, identifying problems and offering solutions to enhance love, trust, and understanding between grandparents, parents, and grandchildren. She also offers a wealth of practical advice, from when to get involved, when to stay away, and how to foster a strong relationship when you’re separated by long distance. Unconditional Love advocates for honest conversation, thinking in the long run and healing breaches in order to be together, understanding that most of us try to do our best and need to be forgiven if we fail. Isay argues that secrets and surprises may tilt the boat but won’t necessarily sink it and that grandparents and their grown children are happier when they give each other the benefit of the doubt. Most importantly, she writes, the advent of grandchildren offers families the opportunity for healing and redemption—if we seize the moment. In lovely prose and through delightful stories, Isay shows us how we can. A great gift for grandparents-to-be and a wonderful resource for all, Unconditional Love is a beautiful and psychologically astute look at what it means to be an engaged grandparent.

When a new baby is born into a family, grandparents are excited about having a baby to enjoy and love. If the child is born with a disability, it can be difficult to know how to react and how best to help the child and the family as a whole. This book provides guidance on how to grandparent a child with special needs and give every grandchild the love and care they deserve and parents the added support they need. From coming to terms with a diagnosis, to helping with the transition from adolescence to adulthood, the book gives clear advice on grandparenting a child with special needs throughout their life. The author covers the medical, emotional and practical aspects of being a grandparent and explores important issues such as researching resources for specialized care, accessing financial and legal resources and, just as importantly, how to have fun and spend quality time with a grandchild with a disability. The book also addresses how to handle the diagnosis of a serious accident or progressive illness. Grandparenting a Child with Special Needs is a unique guide for grandparents keen to make a difference to the lives of their children and their grandchildren.

It takes a village to raise a child with autism. The role of grandparents cannot be overstated. As a grandparent, your ability to embrace your grandchild and support his or her parents is perhaps the essential gift you can offer your family. For parents facing the challenges of raising a child with autism, the burden is emotional, physical, financial and social. Parents need family to help them with the responsibility. Grandparents have the power to make life more manageable for your children and your grandchild. Filled with practical information, this book will undoubtedly give you the tools you need to provide stability, support and strength to your grandchild with autism. You will be empowered to be the best you can be.

Grandparents will often realize--even before parents--that a child is gifted, and that the child will need additional emotional and intellectual sustenance. Features of this book include: (1) Early signs of giftedness; (2) Special needs and areas of concern; (3) Unique roles of grandparents; (4) Building a bond with a grandchild; (5) Maximizing grandparenting; and (6) When a grandparent is the parent. Following an introduction, this book contains the following chapters: (1) You and Your Grandchild; (2) Is My Grandchild Gifted?; (3) Some Areas of Concern for Gifted Children; (4) Expanding the World for Gifted Children; (5) Maximizing Grandparenting; (6) When a Grandparent Becomes the Parent; (7) Educational Planning; (8) Other Resources for Gifted Children; (9) Advocating for Your Gifted Grandchild; and (10) Planning for the Future of Your Gifted Grandchild. Appendices include: (1) Websites for Grandparents; (2) Grandparent Support Groups and National Organizations; and (3) Recommended Readings for Grandparents and Parents. A Glossary, Endnotes, References, Index, and About the Authors are also included.

With people staying healthier for longer, grandparents are increasingly involved in raising their grandchildren. Grandparenting Grandchildren is the first guide of its kind written specifically for grandparents, and aims to help you raise well-rounded, ready-to-learn, happy grandchildren, even if you only look after them for a few hours a week. By explaining the latest neuro-developmental and neuro-educational research in accessible, applicable ways, it will reaffirm what you instinctively know, while providing new tools to build your grandchild’s imagination, creativity and curiosity. Combining the authors’ practical experience as childhood development professionals with international research, this book helps grandparents understand the key influences on healthy development in the first 5 years: movement, music, sleep and food. Grandparenting Grandchildren gives practical advice on how to integrate these ‘super brain foods’ best in your grandchild’s life. This has been proven to have many positive benefits, including improving the ability to think creatively, building speech and language skills, promoting social skills, and driving curiosity. Learn to build a loving, supportive relationship that helps grandchildren feel positive about their future, while constructing essential life skills that ensure they are well-rounded, happy and capable, confident learners.

Helpful guide to prepare grandparents for the special needs and unique talents of children with autism spectrum disorders.--

Chapter 10 Noncaregiving Grandparent Peers' Perceptions of Custodial Grandparents: Extent of Life Disruption, Needs for Social Support, and Needs for Social and Mental Health Services -- About the Authors -- Index