Abstract
Images of grandparenting are replete with stereotypes of grandparents as inherently loving and giving, with a presumed willingness and ability to dedicate time to their grandchildren. Such stereotypes fail to recognize that grandparents bring with them their own experiences of parenting and being parented. In some cases grandparents may view such experiences as being repeated or overcome through the experience of grandparenting. This chapter explores the narratives of a group of grandparents and grandparents-to-be and focuses on how their own past experiences shaped their views on what it means to be a grandparent. For some, both parenting and grandparenting were seen as opportunities to “make a change for the better,” while for others grandparenting represented a continuation of entrenched views of what it means to be a parent (and indeed to be parented). The chapter concludes by suggesting some specific avenues for support that may help grandparents to unpack the assumptions they bring with them, as well as the assumptions potentially placed upon them by others, including by their children.
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