Whether it's "grandma," "granny," "nana," "bubbe," "abuela," or "gramps," "pop-pop," or "g-pa," a grandparent can make a real difference in a child's life. In all ethnicities, cultures, and walks of life, grandparents are the link to a family's culture, history, and traditions. Children fortunate enough to have loving grandparents in their lives have a powerful emotional bond to nurture and sustain them.

• 4.5 million children under the age of 18 are being raised in households headed by grandparents.
• About 15% of grandparents provide some level of child care for their grandchildren - up from 8% in 1998.
• About half the grandparents help pay for their grandchildren's education, while 45% say they assist with living expenses.
• Almost 70% of surveyed grandparents responding to an AARP survey reported that they see their grandchildren at least once every week or two, and one-quarter spend time with them at least once every few months.
• The average grandparent spends about $500 a year on their grandchildren, but two out of five spend between $500 and $2,500.

Whether it's "grandma," "granny," "nana," "bubbe," "abuela," or "gramps," "pop-pop," or "g-pa," a grandparent can make a real difference in a child's life. In all ethnicities, cultures, and walks of life, grandparents are the link to a family's culture, history, and traditions. Children fortunate enough to have loving grandparents in their lives have a powerful emotional bond to nurture and sustain them.

No importa que se le diga "abuela," "abuelita," "nana," o "mamabuela," o "abuelo," "abuelito," "tata," o "papabuelo," un abuelo puede hacer una diferencia sustancial en la vida de un niño. En todas las etnicidades, culturas y sociedades, los abuelos son el vínculo con la cultura, historia y tradiciones de la familia. Los niños que tienen la buena fortuna de tener abuelos cariñosos en sus vidas cuentan con un poderoso lazo emocional para su desarrollo y sostenimiento.

Vroom provides interactive tools and resources that highlight the science behind early brain development, showing parents how they can turn everyday activities like bath time and meal time into opportunities that build their children’s brains. The Vroom Partnership at Child Care Aware® of America is made up of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies who educate and provide Vroom resources to families, providers, and organizations in their communities so they too understand the importance of brain development during the first five years of life. Learn more about Vroom here.

 

The problem

Providers are committed to promoting children’s health and safety, both in the child care setting and at home. However, many providers report that they are uncertain about how to talk to family members about difficult or potentially sensitive issues. 

When we talk about health and safety in child care, the discussion is often focused on reducing or eliminating physical threats to children’s well-being (e.g., unsafe playground equipment or the spread of an infectious disease). CCAoA believes that child care is a place where the whole environment helps build healthy children, including their healthy social and emotional development. This is the second of four blog posts from CCAoA about promoting social and emotional health – in this case, through a practice known as responsive caregiving. 

Guest Blogger – Ruth A. Harvey, Executive Director – Chemung County Child Care Council, Inc.- Elmira, New York

Vroom provides interactive tools and resources that highlight the science behind early brain development, showing parents how they can turn everyday activities like bath time and meal time into opportunities that build their children’s brains. The Vroom Partnership at Child Care Aware® of America is made up of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies who educate and provide Vroom resources to families, providers, and organizations in their communities so they too understand the importance of brain development during the first five years of life. Learn more about Vroom here.