To Get Involved, Grandparents Can:

Nurture Them

Offer them your time and undivided attention whenever possible.

Play and Interact with Them

Keep up with their interests and engage them in activities they enjoy.

Share Family History and Culture

Tell them about life when you were young, family traditions and religion.

Support Them in Times of Stress

When times are tense - either due to divorce, a move or a new baby - the entire family needs you most.

Nourish Self-Esteem

Show interest in and praise their work and play.

Adapt Your Role

Be flexible to meet the family's changing needs and interests.

Online Support for Grandparents
Raising Grandchildren

Recently released U.S. Census 2000 figures show that 2.4 million grandparents are singlehandedly raising their grandchildren. Many grandparents rearing grandchildren face challenges related to poverty, custody, child care, access to services, medical care, and more.

These "second-time-around" parents have a new place to turn for support. By visiting the American Association for Retired Persons (AARP) website, they can connect with others facing similar issues. A database recently posted online and maintained by the AARP's national Grandparent Information Center, lists over 800 support groups for kinship care. By entering a zip code in the online search form, a list of groups in the visitor's area will be generated. These groups provide tips, ideas, and support and include the following types of programs:

+ Support groups for grandparents or other relatives raising

grandchildren

+ Support groups for children being raised by grandparents

or other relatives

+ Grandparents' rights groups

+ Agencies serving grandparents

Each database entry contains a brief description about the group's services and activities, such as frequency of meetings, newsletter, conferences, education, advocacy, and referral. A database registration form is available for leaders of support groups to register with the national database.

This full article can be read on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services web site.

Visit the AARP Grandparent's Page >

Reading to Boost Your Grandchild's
Language Development

These ideas offer ways to build your grandchild's literacy skills, preparing her for success in school and beyond.

Babies

touch and feel.

Toddlers and Preschoolers

+ Have your grandchild point to familiar objects - numbers,

colors, and letters.

+ Ask your grandchild to tell stories about the pictures.

+ Choose books about topic of interest like animals or trains -

and big events like toilet training or the birth of a new
sibling.

Great Grandparents

When most of us think about a happy childhood memory, a special connection with a grandparent often comes to mind.

Grandparents today report spending a lot of time with their grandkids. And there are a lot of grandparents out there — nearly one-third of the adults in the U.S. qualify for the title of grandma or grandpa. Their average age? A young 50! So the stereotype of a white-haired granny rocking in her chair or baking cookies has clearly changed. Many grandparents are still involved with careers, traveling, and community activities.

Although their image has changed, grandparents still hold an important and unique position within families; they are the link to traditions, culture, and family history. Interestingly, recent studies have shown that the relationship between grandparent and child is second in emotional importance only to the parent and child bond.

This full article can be read on the Scholastic web site .

Resources for Grandparents

< Jackson County Department on Aging

< Receive Monthly Newsletters from

Grandparents.com

< Find songs to sing to your grandchildren at

GrandparentsMagazine.net

< USA.gov Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

< GrandsPlace Resources and Information