“A second-chance at being a parent”: Grandparent caregivers’ reported communication and parenting practices with co-residential grandchildren
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2019
Department/School
Communication, Media and Theatre Arts
Publication Title
Journal of Family Communication
Abstract
Grandfamilies, family structures in which grandparent(s) co-reside with and assume a primary caregiving role for at least one grandchild, are increasingly common in the United States. This qualitative, exploratory study, informed by family communication patterns theory (FCPT), illuminated the reported communication beliefs and practices of grandparents who serve as primary caregiver to at least one grandchild. Hybrid thematic analysis, combining FCTP with inductive analysis, was used to analyze 21 semi-structured interviews with grandparents. Results yielded four themes describing grandparents’ reported communicative practices: creating opportunities for listening and dialogue, talking about emotion, emphasizing openness, and allowing questioning; and three themes describing the impact of second-chance parenting: increased resources, acquired wisdom, and matured emotionally. Implications for grandfamily communication research in light of hybrid analyses and FCPT are discussed.
Link to Published Version
Recommended Citation
Freeman, J. D., Elton, J., & Lambert South, A. (2019). “A second-chance at being a parent”: Grandparent caregivers’ reported communication and parenting practices with co-residential grandchildren. Journal of Family Communication, 19(3), 261–276. https://doi.org/10.1080/15267431.2019.1632864