Are you a typical American grandparent?
There’s a new study out about grandparents. Some of its findings surprised me.
Why grandparents outnumber grandchildren
There used to be many more children than elders; now, for the first time in history, the old outnumber the young.
What do Okinawans know that we don’t?
The five places in the world where people live the longest are also places where elders spend a good deal of their time tending vegetable gardens.
Is mental illness the biggest problem facing teens?
Seventy percent of American teens see anxiety and depression as “major problems” among their peers, according to a new study.
Of baby birds and their grandparents
So far, grandparent care has been observed in only one bird species: the Seychelles Warbler, which inhabits five small islands in the Indian Ocean.
More myths about grandparents that it’s time to trash
Many stereotypes about grandparents are wrong.
Do maternal grandparents have it better?
Kids are often closer to their maternal grandparents than to their paternal ones, research suggests, perhaps because mothers tend to maintain closer ties with their own parents than fathers do.
Does modern parenting ruin kids?
Because of how their parents are raising them, kids will grow up to be more entitled, less disciplined, and less independent than their elders, an overwhelming majority of Australian grandparents believes.
How many years can you expect to spend as a healthy grandparent?
Americans and Canadians are spending more years as grandparents than they did a generation ago, and they’re spending them in better health—even though they’re older when their grandkids are born.
Do grandparents wake up early to keep their families safe?
New research suggests that our ancestors stayed safe at night thanks to the divergent sleep habits of the young and the old.
“What the elders see while sitting, the young ones standing on their toes won’t see”
Proverbs about grandparenting from around the world.
If you’re worried about your grandkid, speak up, scientists say
Grandparents often suspect autism before parents do, but they sometimes hesitate to voice their concern, a new study reveals.
Does how often you see your grandkids affect how long you live?
In the first study of its kind, a team of scientists has found that grandparents who provide regular care for their grandchildren have an edge on survival over those who don’t.
Where do the happiest grandparents live?
Older adults in the United States enjoy greater well-being than younger ones, but they’re faring far better in some states than in others, according to a recent survey.
How can grandparents help kids with autism?
The monumental stress of raising a child with autism can be eased by grandparents, who are often “ideally suited” to provide parents with support, scholars say.
The truth about the American family
Contrary to popular belief, Americans are nearly as likely today as they were in 1950 to live in a multigenerational household, according to a new study by the Pew Research Center.
Grandparents are healthier than ever
Grandparents are healthier than they were 30 years ago, even though they’re also older, a Canadian study has found.
Whales need grandmas, too
Female orcas who’ve undergone menopause play a critical role in helping their extended families find food, particularly during times of scarcity, scientists have learned.
It takes a village to pay the bills
More and more older Americans are giving money to their children and grandchildren, and the amount they’re giving is rising.
Can a grandma stand in for a dad?
Children who live with a single mother and at least one grandparent fare just as well as children who live with both parents, research shows.
In elephant families, Grandma is boss
A family of elephants is led by its eldest female, who’s often a grandma many times over. And the older she is, the better, scientists have learned.
How to help a teenager thrive
A new study finds that teens who maintain close, loving relationships with their grandparents suffer fewer emotional and behavioral problems than their peers.
Grandparents are younger than you think
The media paints grandparents as old, but studies show most of them aren’t.
Is grandparenting good for you?
Babysitting for grandkids may boost your wellbeing, but if you’re pressured into providing care, you may suffer.
Are Chinese-American grandparents under too much stress?
Chinese Americans often devote long hours to their grandchildren, but many of them experience this as a burden, a new study reveals.
Hunt, teach, love: What grandparents do in the rainforest
Grandparents have been going to bat for their grandkids for hundreds of thousands of years, a new study of South American foragers suggests.
Could your grandkids get by without you?
A sociologist spent years interviewing grandparents who give a ton of time and money to their grandkids, often because their grown children are struggling.
Could grandmothers make the difference between life and death?
Maybe women outlive their fertility to ensure that their grandchildren thrive.
Is grandmotherhood intensifying?
Instead of just spoiling their grandchildren, many grandmothers now make significant contributions to their daily care, says Madonna Harrington Meyer, a sociologist at Syracuse.