Key Takeaways
Grandparents play a critical role in a fragile child care system in which care for children under the age of five is often unaffordable or unavailable.
A recent national survey of grandparents that provide regular childcare from ZERO TO THREE says that 98% love being a grandparent and 94% love their role as a part-time caregiver.
Although 71% of the grandparents feel confident in caring for grandchildren based on their own experience as parents, four in 10 (41%) agree that new research about child development can help them do a better job.
As childcare costs continue to rise, more and more grandparents are stepping up to care for today’s infants and toddlers. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, one out of four children under the age of five is cared for by a grandparent while parents work or go to school.
While there are great rewards to the grandparent-grandchildren relationship, the dynamics can be challenging to navigate. ZERO TO THREE, an NCOA NISC nonprofit member, has created a suite of resources for professionals and families that include the latest information, tools, and best practices to help support caregivers across the generations.
- Planning Tips for Sharing the Care: Learn what parents and grandparents should talk about before sharing the care.
- The Grandparent Guide: What’s New? What’s the Same?: A grandparent’s guide to what’s new and what has stayed the same when it comes to caring for babies and toddlers—including challenging behavior, safe sleep, meal times, and much more.
- If You Only Knew: A Tool for Grandparent Caregivers: Provides a way to think about “sharing the care” across generations and guidance for dialogue about the shared tasks of caregiving.
- Grandparents as Caregivers: By the Numbers: Grandparents pay a major role in raising the next generation. Take a look at who’s caring for children under five while parents work.
Share ZERO TO THREE’s resources with the grandparents in your community by hosting a “movie night” (or day). We have everything ready for you: A schedule for the event, group activities (with instructions!), promotional materials, a sample letter to invite community leaders, and take-home handouts for attendees.
