Abstract
Objective: The aim of this study on the transition to grandparenthood is to capture grandparents’ perspectives on their relationship and communication with their adult children when their adult children was expecting their first child or became new parents within the past year. More specifically, the study aimed to uncover 1) Intergenerational issues identified by grandparents during the transition to grandparenthood and 2) Factors influencing grandparents’ communication and relationships with their adult children during this time of family transition. Method: Participants were 19 grandparents in the U.S., 15 grandmothers and 4 grandfathers who were about to welcome the first child of one of their children (N = 8), who had welcomed the first child of one of their children in the past year (N = 10), or who had both a child who was expecting and a child who had welcomed their first child within the past year (N = 1). Qualitative data analysis was conducted on transcripts from the grandparent interviews utilizing the constant comparative technique and thematic analysis to identify categories and emergent themes. Results: Grandparent participants shared their perspectives on the intergenerational transmission of parenting practices, reflected on changes in parental roles over time, and identified communication facilitator and barriers during this time of transition. These categories and emergent themes are explicated in the results section along with supporting excerpts from grandparent interviews. Conclusion: The transition to grandparenthood impacts communication and relationships between grandparents and their adult children by shaping the content, frequency, and medium of communication. Understanding grandparents’ perspectives on this time of transition adds to existing research on families focused mainly on the adult child’s perspective.
Highlights
Research on the transition to grandparenthood has increased in recent decades due, in part, to a combination of demographic factors
Each of these themes addressed the intergenerational transmission of parenting practices and an appreciation for why grandparents are enacting their roles in a particular way
Communication scholars benefit from continuing to study transitions within the family since those transitions tend to highlight the complexity of family relationships
Summary
Research on the transition to grandparenthood has increased in recent decades due, in part, to a combination of demographic factors. According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the average life expectancy for individuals in the U.S is 78.7 years of age [2]. The combination of those two demographic factors suggests that individuals who. Research on grandparenthood offers advice for new grandparents regarding how to manage their relationships as they welcome a baby into the family [3]. Some of the advice includes how to navigate grandparenting from a distance, how to navigate circumstances surrounding the birth, and how to handle visitation of grandchildren following a divorce
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