Today’s blog will highlight a topic that comes up in GGK Seminars quite frequently — How to support 3-Generation Families. It’s not unusual for a home visitor to have several 3-Generation Families they visit who are looking for effective strategies for creating a healthier balance with care-giving tasks and relationships. We will enhance today’s discussion with the latest, relevant research pertaining to this topic and conclude with exploring the associated Growing Great Families resources and tools.
For the purpose of this discussion, let’s get started with some definitions. The term 3-Generation Family refers to multigenerational family households where two or more adult generations live together under the same roof; this generally includes a grandparent, parent, and child. Our definition also embraces multigenerational families where grandparents have major influences in caretaking and raising small children, even though all generations are not living together. According to the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), there are strong indications that US and Canadian multigenerational living is on the rise. Approximately 51 million Americans, or 16.7 percent of the population, live in a house with at least two adult generations, or a grandparent and at least one other generation, under one roof. This trend is linked to cultures, such as Hispanic, Asian, and African American, who embrace multigenerational housing (AARP.org, April 2013).
It’s interesting to note that the 2010 US Census indicated that 7.5 million children lived with a grandparent in 2010; that’s about 10 percent of all children in the United States. Of these children, 4.9 million lived in the grandparent’s home. Additionally, among children younger than 5 whose mothers were employed, 30% were cared for, on a regular basis, by a grandparent during their mother’s working hours in 2005 (US Census.gov, 2010). Research indicates that the multigeneration housing phenomenon is increasing due to a variety of factors including economics, child care benefits, preventing elder isolation, family dysfunction connected to teen pregnancy, substance abuse, etc. PEW Charitable Trust research found that in 2015 the number of grandparents solely responsible for the care of grandchildren had risen to 2.9 million (Wiltz, 2016).
All this data resonates with the composition of today’s home visitor caseloads, doesn’t it? Most home visiting models are designed to integrate services focusing on addressing the needs of the whole family. This multigeneration approach supports inclusiveness of all family members from a programmatic and cultural perspective. However, it can sometimes be challenging for home visitors when it comes to addressing sensitive topics such as parenting, role clarification, making decisions about childcare practices— in other words, “who does what” when it comes to the baby and child care decisions, in addition to providing financial support and responsibility for other household tasks.
Your Growing Great Families manual includes two modules specific to 3-Generation Families. The modules are intentionally designed to approach sensitive intergenerational topics, while exploring strategies families might consider for promoting more harmony in their home. The conversation guides provided encourage families to reflect on how healthier relationships between parents and grandparents, and a better balance with caregiving might benefit the child and all of his/her caregivers. Let’s take a moment now to spotlight these modules:
- Becoming a 3-Generation Family- This module is the first in the series designed to explore initial feelings and concerns young parents and grandparents experience upon learning of an unexpected pregnancy; increase understanding and build a more positive relationship by pointing out common feelings and goals parents and grandparents have for the new baby; and to increase positive connections between parents and grandparents by sharing meaningful affirmations with each other. This Conversation Guide also incorporates a couple of handouts to support parents to give each other more affirmations and appreciation messages.
- Role Clarification in 3-Generation Families- This module is meant to be used as a follow up to the Becoming a 3-Generation Family and Protecting Your Children from Toxic Stress modules. This Conversation Guide explores several important topics including changing the “emotional tone” of relationships; old and new ways: making decisions about infant care; grandparenting styles; and role clarification. This module also includes great handouts to explore grandparenting styles and a plan for creating a healthier balance with caregiving.
Check-out this GGF 2 -Modules Series along with their corresponding handouts! Share with your families and remind them of the following:
“Children learn the most about life and how to live it from the day-to-day interactions they experience and observe as they grow up. Brain research has shown that an infant’s brain stores memories of all these experiences. We know positive memories will contribute to the child’s long-term happiness and success.”
Works Cited:
AARP.org (April 2013). Home and Family: Three Generations Under One Roof Bulletin by Sally Abrahms. Retrieved from http://www.aarp.org/home-family/friends-family/info-04-2013/three-generations-household-american-family.html.
US Census.gov (2010). Profile America Facts: Grandchildren. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/cb11-ff17.html
Wiltz, T. (2016, November 2). Why More Grandparents are Raising Children. Retrieved from PEW Charitable Trusts: http://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2016/11/02/why-more-grandparents-are-raising-children
FAQs
The term 3-Generation Family refers to multigenerational family households where two or more adult generations live together under the same roof; this generally includes a grandparent, parent, and child.
Who is the third generation? ›
Persons in the third generation are those who have both U.S.-born parents, but one or more foreign-born grandparents. For these persons ethnicity is primarily determined by the maternal grandmother's country of birth.
How does family generations work? ›
To start, you and your siblings and cousins make one generation, and your parents and their siblings from the next. Your grandparents and their siblings form the third generation, and so on. The top-level of any family tree is the first generation, next down is their children, making up the second generation.
What does skipped generation mean? ›
Definition of Skipped Generation Family
(noun) A family in which grandparents raise grandchildren due to the absence of parents.
Is a great grandchild 3rd or 4th generation? ›
“Great” relationships
Great means three or more generations apart. “Great” is always tacked on to “grand.” Each “great” adds one more generation. A great-grandparent is three generations away, since "great" adds one generation and “grand” adds two generations.
What are the 3 types of family? ›
Family life
- Nuclear family - a family unit consisting of two adults and any number of children living together. ...
- Extended family - grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, either all living nearby or within the same household. ...
- Reconstituted family - also known as a blended family or step family.
Gen Z, iGen, or Centennials: Born approximately 1996 – 2015. Millennials or Gen Y: Born approximately 1977 – 1995. Generation X: Born approximately 1965 – 1976.
What is the third generation curse? ›
One of the biggest dilemmas that affluent families face is the so-called third generation curse, which states that the majority of families will lose both their wealth and their business by the time it reaches the third generation.
Who is the founder of 3rd generation? ›
It was developed by Robert Noyce of Fairchild Semiconductor and Jack Kilby (American electrical engineer) of Texas Instruments in 1958. So due to ICs, the third generation computers are much faster, efficient, reliable, less maintenance, and small in size as compared to first and second generation computers.
How many years is 3 generations? ›
Generally, three or four generations span 100 years, but depending on a number of factors, that same amount of time could produce as little as two generations or as many as five generations. The average span between one generation and the next is about 25 to 30 years, so a safe answer would be 75 to 90 years.
A 3-generation genogram is a graphical representation of a family tree that goes back three generations. It usually includes the grandparents, their children, and their grandchildren. With this diagram, families can see patterns that span multiple generations.
How many generations back is a great great-grandparent? ›
When you go back 6 generations, that's your great great great great grandparents, and there were 64 of them ...
How many generations does it take to not be related? ›
If people in this population meet and breed at random, it turns out that you only need to go back an average of 20 generations before you find an individual who is a common ancestor of everyone in the population.
What trait can skip a generation? ›
Recessive traits like red hair can skip generations because they can hide out in a carrier behind a dominant trait. The recessive trait needs another carrier and a bit of luck to be seen. This means that it can sometimes take a few generations to finally make its presence known.
Can a child skip a generation? ›
If a person's child does not inherit the mutated gene, the child cannot then pass it on to their future children. However, while genes cannot skip a generation, the cancer can.
Are great grandchildren 3rd generation? ›
Third-degree relatives are a segment of the extended family and includes first cousins, great grandparents and great grandchildren.
Do 4th cousins share 3rd great grandparents? ›
Fourth cousins share a 3rd-great grandparent (5 generations)
Are great grandparents three generations? ›
Your grandparents are two generations back. Your great-grandparents are three generations back, and so forth. First cousins share grandparents, counting back two generations to their shared ancestors. Second cousins share great-grandparents, counting back three generations to their shared ancestors.
What are the 3 main functions of a family? ›
The family ideally serves several functions for society. It socializes children, provides practical and emotional support for its members, regulates sexual reproduction, and provides its members with a social identity.
What are 3 characteristics of a strong family? ›
Strong families have warmth and care, good communication, predictability, and strong connections to others outside the family. Looking after yourself is an important part of raising a strong family.
Generation Alpha are defined as those born from 2010-2024. More than 2.5 million are born globally every week.
What is todays generation called? ›
Generation Alpha (Gen Alpha for short) is the demographic cohort succeeding Generation Z. Researchers and popular media use the early 2010s as the starting birth years and the mid-2020s as the ending birth years.
What is Gen Z known for? ›
Gen Z Terms and Definitions
Pew Research recently defined Gen Z as anyone born 1997 onwards. Gen Z grew up with technology, the internet, and social media, which sometimes causes them to be stereotyped as tech-addicted, anti-social, or “social justice warriors.”
How long does wealth stay in families? ›
A groundbreaking 20-year study conducted by wealth consultancy, The Williams Group, involved over 3,200 families and found that seven in 10 families tend to lose their fortune by the second generation, while nine in 10 lose it by the third generation. However, there are ways to be at the odds.
What is considered old money? ›
What Is Old Money? Old money refers to people who have inherited significant generational wealth; their families have been wealthy for several generations. In the past, old money would have referred to an elite class: the aristocracy or landed gentry.
Why wealthy families lose their fortunes in three generations? ›
The premise is that because this generation grew up more financially stable, they fail to develop an appreciation of what is required to build and maintain wealth. They are, therefore, apt to make poor financial decisions and spend more freely, thereby leading to a loss of wealth.
Who is the CEO of generation? ›
Mona Mourshed - Founding Global CEO - Generation | LinkedIn.
What does 3rd generation mean? ›
adjective. 1. : being a member of the third generation of a family to be born in the U.S. a third-generation American. : being a member of the second generation of a family to be born in the U.S.
Who is the owner of generations? ›
Generations: The Legacy, is a South African soap opera created and produced by Mfundi Vundla.
What are the three generations? ›
More Reports from AARP Research
The Three Generations Survey is a comprehensive look at the attitudes and behaviors of Millennials, Gen X, and Boomers.
For every human being has two parents, four grandparents, eight great-grandparents, 16 great great grandparents and so on. By this yardstick, the number of ancestors that each of us had about 50 generations back, or around 1003, must have been two multiplied by itself 50 times.
What are the three generations called? ›
Gen Z, iGen, or Centennials: Born approximately 1996 – 2015. Millennials or Gen Y: Born approximately 1977 – 1995. Generation X: Born approximately 1965 – 1976. Baby Boomers: Born approximately 1946 – 1964.
When did generation 3 start? ›
The subject of this article has no official name.
| Debut | EN | March 19, 2003 |
|---|
| JA | November 21, 2002 |
| Pokémon | 386 (135 new) |
| Main games | Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald |
| Region(s) introduced | Hoenn, Orre, Sevii Islands (Kanto) |
6 more rowsIf you want to know how many ancestors you have, just add up the number from each generation, so parents (2) + grandparents (4) + great-grandparents (8) = 14 ancestors within 3 generations, etc.
What is the current generation called? ›
Generation Alpha are defined as those born from 2010-2024.
What was the main features of 3rd generation? ›
The third generation was brought about by advances in the manufacture of transistors; scientists and engineers where able to make transistors smaller and smaller, which led to entire circuits fitting onto a single piece of silicon, now known as the integrated circuit or microchip.
Who is the main character of three generations? ›
Celo Monzon or The Elder Monzon The main lead or protagonist of the story. He has a dynamic character because of the changes in his character. The son of Old Monzon who experienced an unhappy childhood life. He despised his father for being violent until he become a father too.
