Approximation to the participation of grandfathers and grandmothers in the education of their grandsons and granddaughters

Abstract

The social and economic changes which happened in the last decades in our country, the ageing of the population and the increase of the life expectancy, have led to redefine the roles that grandfathers and grandmothers play in the family, assuming, in some cases, the functions of education and care of grandsons and granddaughters, when fathers and mothers can´t. The objective of this work is to know the implication of grandfathers and grandmothers in the care and education of their grandsons and granddaughters and the effects in themselves as well as in their sons and daughters. A descriptive exploratory study applied to a sample of 30 grandfathers and grandmothers of the Principality of Asturias has been carried out, an adaptation of the Questionnaire on Parental Competences (Martínez González, 2009). The results show the importance of deepening in the needs of support and training of grandfathers and grandmothers to play the new role.

Keywords

• abuelos, abuelas
• nietos
• nietas
• responsabilidad educativa de los abuelos y abuelas
• conciliación familiar