Andrew Adesman, MD, is a professor of pediatrics at the Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine. Author of Baby Facts, he also recently completed a nationwide survey of grandparents serving as parents.
Christine Adamec is a health and self-help writer whose coauthor credits include Fibromyalgia for Dummies. She and her husband are now raising a grandchild.
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Ready or not, you’re a parent again. And if you’re wondering how exactly you’re going to raise your children’s children, you’re not alone.
More than 3 million Americans are raising their grandchildren, and they, like you, have done this all before. But this time, you’re parenting under different circumstances—and likely as a result of scenarios you never envisioned for your family.
Now more than ever, substance use has made many birth parents simply unfit for the job. The opioid epidemic has ravaged families across the country. Grandparents are stepping out of retirement to care for their grandchildren, who may have been born addicted to opioids as well.
Or the impetus might be mental health, incarceration, or immaturity. Whatever the reason for your new role, your kinship care is needed to help your grandchildren adjust to a shifting family dynamic while perhaps facing problem behaviors that can develop as a result of a difficult past environment, neonatal abstinence, or any number of other birth syndromes.
Your top priority now is to help your grandchildren to emerge thriving from what may initially feel like a less-than-ideal situation. The deeply rewarding experience of creating a grandfamily in the midst of crisis reminds us that all families are built and strengthened over time.
The Grandfamily Guidebook offers just the right mix of expert advice and insights gathered from thousands of grandparents who are raising grandchildren. With this comprehensive guide you’ll avoid common pitfalls as you adjust to your new normal, and have a touchstone to come back to as things unfold. With advice on everything from engaging with birthparents, to managing legal and financial considerations, challenges with school and social life, and your own self-care, you’ll always have a practical, inspiring guide to building a grandfamily.
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