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Grandparents as Parents Support Website
August 2009
Contact: Joanne Littlefield
Assistant Director-Community Relations
Phone: (970) 491-4640
Joanne.Littlefield@colostate.edu
Having survived past recessions, grandparents know the economic hardships and uncertainty that younger generations are experiencing in the current downturn. As their children struggle to provide for their own families, more grandparents are setting aside retirement plans to help out by providing kinship care for their grandchildren. However, becoming a parent again is a role that few grandparents expect to take on at their age.
Although experienced parents, grandparents are often faced with different economic, emotional, and physical challenges in retaking on the responsibility. Colorado State University Extension provides resources to help you make the transition to primary caregiver through the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren (GRG) Online Support website.
Despite an increasing trend of grandparents caring for children in Colorado, you may feel alone in your efforts. The GRG Online Support website provides a list of support groups by county where you can meet other grandparents and learn about county, state, and federal assistance programs available. The website provides additional information and steps to starting a support group in your local community. Grandparents can also connect with other kinship care providers and get up-to-date information on the website’s blog and discussion board.
Grandparents may often feel they’re running empty as they retake on parenting tasks. The GRG Online Support website also provides links to research based information in Extension publications and newsletters. Grandparents can find money saving tips for fun activities and basic needs, information on time and stress management, and resources on understanding emotions and behavior of children of all ages.
To access the GRG Online Support website go to www.ext.colostate.edu/grg.
Updated Tuesday, September 13, 2011
