Grandparents' Relationships with Grandchildren in Thailand

Abstract

The linkages between grandparents and grandchildren have recently gained more attention from academicians, but still receive little attention from development policy makers. This is in large part because the relationships between grandparents and grandchildren have always been taken for granted. But as the nuclear family has become the predominant form of family structure, replacing the once strongly knit extended family structure, the everyday interactions between grandparents and grandchildren become less visible, changing from obvious to obscure and becoming increasingly enigmatic. This report describes the existing natural bonds and linkages between grandparents and grandchildren in northeast Thailand. The study combined qualitative and quantitative methods. The principal findings of this study are as follows. There was a large variation in the amount of time and energy that old people devoted to children, with a substantial number serving as fulltime surrogate (or replacement or substitute) parents and others as regular daycare providers for grandchildren because the biological parents were absent during the day due to work commitments. Still other grandparents have discretion in their involvement with their own grandchildren. Few grandparents do not have any clear parental role and relationship with their grandchildren. Replacement parents in this study are the most disadvantaged group. This group was worse off in terms of economic and physical well-being. To look after children whose parents are absent because of work and to provide protection for elderly persons, an intergeneration program that provides economic and health benefits for both the elderly and children was recommended.