“My second mum and dad” - Grandparents Plus
“My second mum and dad” - Grandparents Plus
“My second mum and dad” - Grandparents Plus
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Figure 3.1<br />
Gr<strong>and</strong>parents relationship with<br />
the child’s parents by gender <strong>and</strong><br />
linage. How do they get on?<br />
Mum's <strong>mum</strong><br />
Not well at all<br />
Not so well<br />
Well<br />
Very well<br />
Mum's dad<br />
Dad's <strong>mum</strong><br />
Dad's dad<br />
The current study<br />
How well did gr<strong>and</strong>parents get on with the parents of their gr<strong>and</strong>children?<br />
What factors affected this relationship?<br />
In this study too the parental relationship was crucial. As we can see below, most<br />
surviving gr<strong>and</strong>parents were reported to have good or very good relationships<br />
with parents. Relationships with Mum’s <strong>mum</strong> were marginally better than with<br />
other gr<strong>and</strong>parents. While there were a few gr<strong>and</strong>parents who had very fraught<br />
relationships with parents, the usual, normative scenario is that most gr<strong>and</strong>parents<br />
get on well with parents.<br />
Figure 3.2<br />
Distance gr<strong>and</strong>parents live from<br />
their gr<strong>and</strong>children by gender<br />
<strong>and</strong> linage<br />
Mum's <strong>mum</strong><br />
Mum's dad<br />
Dad's <strong>mum</strong><br />
Further away (overseas)<br />
Further away (in the UK)<br />
Not same town but within 10 miles<br />
In the same town<br />
With gr<strong>and</strong>child<br />
Dad's dad<br />
A surprising finding was more than two thirds of the gr<strong>and</strong>parents lived locally -<br />
that is in the same town or within 10 miles. With the exception of Dad’s Dad,<br />
gr<strong>and</strong>parents who did not live locally were significantly less likely to get on well<br />
with parents.<br />
Age did not impact on the relationship with parents, but poor gr<strong>and</strong>parental health<br />
did. Highly significantly more gr<strong>and</strong>parents (both maternal <strong>and</strong> paternal) with poor<br />
health had more problematic relationships with parents.<br />
Around a quarter of gr<strong>and</strong>parents, in particular 28% of maternal gr<strong>and</strong>mothers<br />
were still working full or part-time. It might have been expected that working<br />
gr<strong>and</strong>parents would have poorer relationships with the children’s parents because<br />
they are less available to help, but employment status was not a significant factor<br />
in the analysis for paternal gr<strong>and</strong>parents or maternal gr<strong>and</strong>mothers. For maternal<br />
gr<strong>and</strong>fathers, however, there does appear to be a significant correlation between<br />
employment <strong>and</strong> having a poor relationship with the child’s parents. Except for<br />
Mum’s dad, gr<strong>and</strong>parents who had stayed on after school to study had significantly<br />
better relationships with parents.<br />
My <strong>second</strong> <strong>mum</strong> <strong>and</strong> dad / 11
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