Grandparents are an important pillar in families, offering lots of love and support to their grandchildren and adult children. Many go a step farther by also playing a critical role as regular child care providers — 1 in 4 children under age 5 is looked after by grandparents while parents work or go to school.
ZERO TO THREE’s 2019 “The Grand Plan” national survey of non-custodial grandparent caregivers reveals the joys and challenges of multigenerational co-parenting. This partner toolkit for early childhood professionals offers resources to help spread the word about thislandmark look at grandparents as caregivers. The full suite of resources for families and professionals can be found here.
Contents Include:
- Sample social media posts
- Sample blog post
- Sample newsletter blurb
- Sample tip-a-day
- Infographic of key findings
Sample social media posts
🚩DYK #grandparents in the U.S. care for one out of four children under the age of 5? Check out @ZEROTOTHREE’s new survey of these critical caretakers to learn more about the joys, challenges, and needs of grandparents who share the care: zerotothree.org/grandparentsurvey
It’s normal for grandparents providing child care to feel some level of disagreement/tension between generations concerning child care. Learn more @ZEROTOTHREE about what they are and find tools for bridging the gaps: zerotothree.org/grandparentsurvey
👵👶Grandparents fill a major gap in child care in this country, care that is otherwise unavailable or unaffordable to many. See @ZEROTOTHREE’s first-of-its kind study of caregiving parents to learn more about their joys, challenges, and questions for professionals: zerotothree.org/grandparentsurvey
Graphics (click to download)
Sample blog post
Grandparents are the cornerstone of early childcare. Share the survey results and key findings in your organization’s blog by using or adapting this suggested post.
Sample newsletter blurb
We encourage you to share the grandparent survey results in your organization’s newsletter. Here is suggested language for you to use or adapt.
Did you know that nearly one in four children under the age of 5 is cared for on a regular basis by a grandparent? Our partners at ZERO TO THREE conducted the first-ever national survey of grandparents who provide child care, asking about both the joys and challenges they face. They found that grandparents love this connection to their families, but also face challenges in navigating the process of sharing the care. To learn more about the survey findings and to browse ZERO TO THREE’s grandparenting tools and resources, check out zerotothree.org/grandparentsurvey.
Sample tip-a-day
Sunday, September 8, is Grandparents Day. To celebrate, ZERO TO THREE is offering tips for caring for little ones, one for each day of the month. Use or adapt these tips in your social media content throughout September.
Infographic of key findings
