As I write this, grandparenting is coming up as a misspelled word on my computer. This is actually an apt conundrum for the role of grandparents today, particularly in the United States. In other words, there is wide variation and some confusion regarding the role of grandparents.

Fortunately, the word does exist in Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary. Still, the provided definition will not clarify the job description very much: “the activity of being a grandparent.” So, what exactly does being a grandparent mean?

While the role is not universal, since there is wide variance by culture and family, there are some commonalities that I have found in my work as a psychologist. I would like to pose some questions to you in the hopes of encouraging you to clarify the role as it exists in your own family. This article is directed toward grandparents but can be extremely useful for their adult children as well.

Cherlin and Furstenberg, trailblazers in the........

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