All posts tagged: grandparents

Dad Wants His Parents To Use Their Million Retirement To Pay Daughter’s Tuition

Dad Wants His Parents To Use Their $3 Million Retirement To Pay Daughter’s Tuition

Published by Jenni Sidey

Paying for college is something most parents worry about, given that tuition costs will only continue to rise. Between tuition, housing, meal plans, books, and all the extra fees that tend to accumulate, college has become a fast way to take on debt.  In one family’s case, though, they decided to turn to their retired parents for help, who had an extensive amount of money stowed away. In a question submitted to personal finance publication Kiplinger, the grandparents admitted that they’re hesitant to pay for their granddaughter’s tuition because of how expensive it actually is. And despite having decent retirement savings, it’s still a fixed income. Dad wants his parents to use their $3 million in retirement savings to pay his daughter’s tuition, but she chose a college that costs $90K per year. “We’re 75-year-old retirees with $3.2 million. Our son’s pressuring us to help pay for our granddaughter’s college so she can avoid loans. It’s not our fault she picked a school that’s $90k a year! What should we do?” the grandparents shared in …

Why Grandparents Lose Contact With Grandchildren

Why Grandparents Lose Contact With Grandchildren

Published by Jenni Sidey

Being cut off from a grandchild can be one of the most painful experiences a grandparent faces. At a stage of life when many people are focused on giving back, sharing wisdom, and staying connected to the next generation, losing that relationship can feel devastating. It’s also rarely something that happens suddenly. In many families, distance builds over time. It arises from misunderstandings, hurt feelings, or tensions that weren’t fully addressed. By the time contact is reduced or lost, there’s often a long history beneath the surface. Unfortunately, grandparents may not always recognize when small tensions are building or when they’re beginning to put the relationship at risk. While there’s no guaranteed way to prevent this kind of rupture, there are patterns that seem to matter. Drawing on qualitative research with individuals who have experienced family estrangement (Degges-White et al., 2024), certain themes emerge again and again. The following suggestions aren’t about being perfect. They are about strengthening relationships and reducing the kinds of friction that can lead to distance over time. 1. Respect your …

Sorry, Grandparents, You're Wrong About These Baby Health Beliefs

Sorry, Grandparents, You're Wrong About These Baby Health Beliefs

Published by Sam Flores

!function(n){if(!window.cnx){window.cnx={},window.cnx.cmd=[];var t=n.createElement(‘iframe’);t.display=’none’,t.onload=function(){var n=t.contentWindow.document,c=n.createElement(‘script’);c.src=”//cd.connatix.com/connatix.player.js”,c.setAttribute(‘async’,’1′),c.setAttribute(‘type’,’text/javascript’),n.body.appendChild(c)},n.head.appendChild(t)}}(document);(new Image()).src=”https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=b74a8200-8881-451a-b3ae-e3479c486eac”;cnx.cmd.push(function(){cnx({“playerId”:”b74a8200-8881-451a-b3ae-e3479c486eac”,”mediaId”:”d2001952-6a4e-4dad-afd9-ff599bc4eff1″}).render(“69cd38e2e4b0332f12c0d0d8”);}); When you have a baby, everyone and their mom (literally) has an opinion on how you raise them. From screen time to feedings to sleeping habits, new parents hear it all, such as, “Wake them up from their nap, they won’t sleep tonight” – or the opposing, “Don’t wake them up from their nap!”  It’s hard to know what you should do when it comes to caring for a tiny human, and it’s common for new parents to reach out to their parents for support, guidance and for some much-needed grandparent babysitting breaks. And while both parents and grandparents want what’s best for the baby, their views on what exactly is best can really differ. Parenting guidance and baby safety regulations are continually changing to account for new research and innovation, but it can be hard for grandparents to let go of how they raised their own kids decades ago for many reasons. “We all, as humans, have some degree of survivorship bias and perhaps some defensiveness related to making specific parenting …

NPR’s College Podcast Challenge winner took on grandparents’ aging, dementia : NPR

NPR’s College Podcast Challenge winner took on grandparents’ aging, dementia : NPR

Published by Sam Flores

Colby McCaskill (right) is the grand prize winner of the NPR College Podcast Challenge. His entry features his grandparents Kathy and Dick McCaskill (left) and discusses her dementia, something Colby had been scared to confront. Matthew Coughlin for NPR hide caption toggle caption Matthew Coughlin for NPR PENSACOLA, Fla. — At the kitchen table at their rental condo in Florida, Dick and Kathy McCaskill were working on coloring in an elaborate star, one of the few unfinished designs in the adult coloring book they’ve been working on. “We love to do this,” said Kathy, 77, laughing as she picked up a dark blue colored pencil. “I married a blue girl,” Dick, 76, said. Coloring helps Kathy with her dementia, calming her anxiety and helping stimulate cognition. Their grandson, Colby McCaskill, was visiting from New York, where he’s finishing up his senior year at Fordham University. He grabbed a gold colored pencil and joined them. “How long have you been working on this coloring book?” he asked his grandmother. “A lot of time,” she said, laughing. …

TikTok On Grandparent Relationships With Grandkids Is Fuelling Debate

TikTok On Grandparent Relationships With Grandkids Is Fuelling Debate

Published by Sam Flores

A TikTok video on how involved grandparents should be in their children’s lives – and whose responsibility it is that they forge a relationship – is fast dividing the internet In a video which has been viewed over 2.5 million times, TikTok creator Helen, a retired police officer and “devoted granny” based in Devon, asked the internet: “Whose responsibility is it to maintain a relationship between a grandchild and their grandparents?” Sharing her “strong views”, she revealed she thinks it’s always the grandparent’s responsibility to maintain the relationship and also be proactive with offering support. “I think it’s the grandparent’s responsibility to always reach out, to be the one saying ‘well, can we help with this? Can we come and visit? Can we take them there? Is there anything you’d like me to do? Do you need some support this week? Do you need some support next week?’,” she explained. “That’s what I do. I’m a devoted granny and I feel very strongly about this, and I don’t think kids should be the ones, your …

Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence become grandparents as their kids welcome first baby together

Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence become grandparents as their kids welcome first baby together

Published by Daniella Wilson

Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Comedy legends Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence are now grandfathers-in-law as their two eldest children have welcomed their first baby together. Eddie confirmed Saturday that his son Eric and Lawrence’s daughter Jasmin had a baby girl named Ari Skye. “They just had a baby girl,” Murphy told E! News at the American Film Institute achievement award ceremony April 18. “They just had her two weeks ago, or a week ago. Yeah, Ari Skye.” Fans were stunned when the couple announced their engagement back in November 2024, making Eddie and Martin — who starred together in comedies Boomerang (1992) and Life (1999) — part of the same family. Speaking about becoming a grandfather, Eddie said that he didn’t have any advice for the new parents, …

Children and the Age of “Why?”: Lessons for Grandparents

Children and the Age of “Why?”: Lessons for Grandparents

Published by Jenni Sidey

My 2-1/2-year-old grandson is now at the developmental stage of asking “What’s that?” and “Why?” His curiosity about the world is exploding, and it’s so enjoyable looking at the world through his eyes. Every question answered is followed by a “But why?” As a psychologist, I know it reflects a normative developmental stage in which curiosity drives learning. As a grandfather, it brings such joy and excitement to watch him figure out and understand the world around him. This got me thinking about the importance of grandparents themselves remaining curious—not only about their grandchild’s thoughts and experiences, but also about their own world. Curiosity is not only a developmental task for children but may also be one of the healthiest emotional tasks for grandparents. Curious grandparents tend to be less judgmental, more adaptable, and more connected to the people they love. From a psychological perspective, curiosity communicates: Your ideas matter. The world is interesting and safe to explore. Learning is something we can do together. In my clinical practice working with multigenerational families, I often …

Autism associated with age of maternal grandparents in new study

Autism associated with age of maternal grandparents in new study

Published by José Betancourt

A new study published in Autism Research reveals that the age of maternal grandparents when they have children is linked to the likelihood of their grandchildren developing autism. The research shows that this association varies substantially across different racial and ethnic groups. These variations suggest that environmental and social factors operate alongside biology to influence child development across multiple generations. Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by repetitive behaviors and challenges with social communication. In recent decades, the identified prevalence of autism has grown rapidly. In California, the proportion of children diagnosed with the condition increased dramatically between the early 2000s and recent years. During this period, the diagnostic rates among historically underrepresented minority groups surpassed the rates seen in white children. As diagnostic rates have shifted, demographic patterns in family planning have also changed. The average age of parents at the time of childbirth has steadily increased in the United States. Past research has established a firm association between older parental age and a higher chance of having a child on the …

Daughter Amber on Yasmin Le Bon: ‘Mum is a dragon – I don’t want her disciplining my child’

Daughter Amber on Yasmin Le Bon: ‘Mum is a dragon – I don’t want her disciplining my child’

Published by Daniella Wilson

The bond between model Yasmin Le Bon and her daughter Amber was undeniable when they came into the Second Act podcast studio for our special Mother’s Day episode. They chatted about sharing clothes, travelling the world – even living together in an idyllic sounding Le Bon commune, joining middle daughter Saffron and her brood ensconced in her own home at the bottom of the family garden. “Mum is my favourite person I choose to hang out with,” said Amber, 36. Yasmin and Amber Le Bon with Second Act’s Ateh Jewel However when it came to chatting about grandparenting duties with Amber’s one-year-old son Sasha and her sister’s three children, the two had very opposite opinions. “It’s quite different with your grandchildren, than with your own children,” says Yasmin, 61, who has been married to Duran Duran front man Simon Le Bon for 40 years. “I’m very, very close to them. I see them all the time. So, you know, it’s not like a special occasion. She’s still living with me and my middle daughter is at …

Parenting expert shares verdict on whether grandparents can afford to spoil their grandchildren

Parenting expert shares verdict on whether grandparents can afford to spoil their grandchildren

Published by Daniella Wilson

Get the Well Enough newsletter with Harry Bullmore for tips on living a healthier, happier and longer life Get the Well Enough email with Harry Bullmore Get the Well Enough email with Harry Bullmore The impulse to shower grandchildren with gifts and treats often stems from a place of love and excitement, yet the long-term impact of such indulgence warrants consideration. Annabelle Hird, a BACP-registered counsellor and member of the Counselling Directory, specialising in supporting parents and carers, has explored why overindulging can become problematic, offering practical advice for families to navigate these dynamics sensitively. Why do many grandparents want to spoil their grandchildren? Hird said: “A lot of people see becoming a grandparent as a chance to ‘do over’ parenthood, and maybe make up for some of the things that they wish they had done the first time around. “Meanwhile, there’s also a real desire to have meaningful relationship with their grandchildren and I think many grandparents feel like they need to work really hard for that relationship with their grandchild. “Due to change …