The Newsleaders
  • Login
  • Register
No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Sartell – St. Stephen
    • St. Joseph
    • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Column
    • Editorial
    • Letter to the Editor
  • Community
    • Calendar
    • Citizen Spotlight
    • Criers
    • People
  • Notices
    • Funerals/Visitations
    • Obituary
    • Police Blotter
    • Public Notices
    • Support Groups
  • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • News Tips
    • Submissions
  • Archives
    • Sartell-St. Stephen Archive
    • St. Joseph Archive
  • Advertise With Us
    • Print Advertising
    • Digital Advertising
    • 2021 Promotions
The Newsleaders
No Result
View All Result

PineCone Pet Hospital MillerCarlin Serving all of central Minnesota locations!

Albany: 320-845-2035
Holdingford: 320-746-9994
St. Cloud: 320-252-7004
Upsala: 320-573-6234
Toll-free: 1-800-644-4058
Collegeville Stearns Bank
Home Opinion Column

A grandparent’s job is never done

January 24, 2013
in Column, Print St. Joseph
0
0
SHARES
0
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Grandparents are gifts that keep on giving. Literally. They give without requesting anything in return. However, this unconditional love can come with a price.

I recently read about how grandparents who are raising their grandchildren face increased health risks. I never thought about this as I watched grandparents in the grocery store with their grandchildren or those who read to them faithfully at the local library. I just commended them for being there for children who might have lost a parent or need a safer home environment.

My Aunty Mimi is a grandmother and a great-grandmother. Growing up, I would marvel at how much her grandchildren loved her and vice versa. My cousins visited often and never wanted to go home. After all, the fun was at Grandma Mimi’s house.

My aunt is in her 70s, and the fun has slowed down a little. She is as active as she can be for her age, but I have noticed she can’t do what she used to. I used to ask her, “Why don’t you just say ‘no’” when she was asked to take my cousins to school or to summer camp. Her response was, “If I take them, I know they’re safe.” I couldn’t argue with that and she was right.

According to data from AARP, across the United States there are almost 7.8 million children who are living in homes where grandparents or other relatives are the household caregivers. There are more than 5.8 million children living in grandparents’ homes and nearly 2 million children live in other relatives’ homes. These families are often called “grandfamilies.”

More than 2.5 million grandparents are taking on the responsibility for these children. Many other relatives also take on this responsibility, too. They often assume this responsibility with neither of the children’s parents present in the home. In fact, nearly 1 million children are living in homes where the grandparent is the household caregiver and neither parent is present in the home, according to AARP. These numbers say a lot about the men and women who are committed to caring for their grandchildren, sometimes at the cost of their own health.

A Chicago woman interviewed in the news article I read said, “I guess all would be good if I was 35 and I had the energy to keep up,” she said. “I don’t have the energy, but I love them.” She is 64 years old and up until two years ago had been raising six children, including twin granddaughters, a niece and the girl’s three siblings. No one could doubt her love, and I’m sure those children appreciate her.

Grandparents serving as parents are part of an ongoing and increasing trend. They have become so much more than a routine visit during the holidays or the occasional weekend getaway hosts. They have become parents for life, in a sense. Those caring for grandchildren take on this responsibility for a variety of reasons. No matter the reason, they are to be commended for their dedication and deserve our respect. I know they will always have mine.

Previous Post

We are the product of our choices

Next Post

How many diplomas come courtesy of SparkNotes?

Next Post

How many diplomas come courtesy of SparkNotes?

Please login to join discussion

CMCU Twitter Follow us on
Twitter
for the latest news!
Facebook Follow us on Facebook
for the latest news!

Go Fund Me # 1 Thank You
Newsleader
Supporters!
Elizabeth Brunsvold
Cultural Connections
Jim Berg & Mary Kruger
Mary & John Davis
Sandy Denne
Bobbi & David Gouker
James & marry Graeve
Juliana Howard
Julia Joplin
Linda Kmitch
M. Molus
Sheila Nahan
Go Fund Me # 2 Thank You
Newsleader
Supporters!

Peggy & Michael Roske
Judy Scheuerell
Geraldine Schwab
James Stotko
James Towler
Anna Trobec
Kaye Wenker
Ellen Wahlstrom
Leona Wieland
Jeanie Wilkens
GAGEN & VASUGI RAMANATHAN
Go Fund Me # 3 Thank You
Newsleader
Supporters!
Nicole Borg
Erica Karger-Gatzow
Dane & Lori Listug-Lunde
Nadine Martin
Doris Minnerath
Merry Mund
Marilyn Peitso
Stephen Schwanke
Dianne Tuff
Dale Zacher
Private Donors

Search

No Result
View All Result

Categories

Recent Posts

  • Kluesner appointed to St. Joseph City Council
  • Wood sentenced for killing two children
  • A list of school superintendent finalists expected March 1
  • Sartell man injured in snowmobile crash
  • Sales-tax revenue for Sartell on the up and up

City Links

Sartell
St. Joseph
St. Stephen

School District Links

Sartell-St. Stephen school district
St. Cloud school district

Chamber Links

Sartell Chamber
St. Joseph Chamber

Community

Calendar

Citizen Spotlight

Criers

People

Notices

Funerals/Visitions

Obituary

Police Blotter

Public Notices

Support Groups

About Us

Contact Us

News Tips

Submissions

Advertise With Us

Print Advertising

Digital Advertising

2021 Promotions

Local Advertising Rates

National Advertising Rates

© 2021 Newleaders

No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Sartell – St. Stephen
    • St. Joseph
    • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Column
    • Editorial
    • Letter to the Editor
  • Community
    • Calendar
    • Citizen Spotlight
    • Criers
    • People
  • Notices
    • Funerals/Visitations
    • Obituary
    • Police Blotter
    • Public Notices
    • Support Groups
  • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • News Tips
    • Submissions
  • Archives
    • Sartell-St. Stephen Archive
    • St. Joseph Archive
  • Advertise With Us
    • Print Advertising
    • Digital Advertising
    • 2021 Promotions

© 2021 Newleaders

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In