For centuries India’s durable joint family system smoothly integrated grandparents into childcare duties. It was normative for grandparents to play active roles in raising their children’s children, keeping traditions and customs alive and providing valuable life lessons. However, with the sudden spur in the number of nuclear households in post-liberalisation India the involvement of grandparents reduced significantly especially in middle class households. But during the past two years after rapid spread of the deadly novel Coronavirus which forced a prolonged lockdown of commerce, industry and education institutions, grandparents countrywide received a new lease of life. As working parents struggled to balance work-from-home and household chores, millions of grandparents stepped forward to help grandchildren with online schooling and provided socio-emotional support and companionship to suddenly isolated children. In our cover story this month we highlight the nurturing and supportive role played by grandparents during the pandemic crisis, and why it’s important for them to remain actively engaged with their children and grandchildren. With their lived experiences and knowledge they can pass on positive values, traditions, and cultural mores to young children even as they provide love, care and security. Indeed latter day social research is almost unanimous that children benefit greatly from grandparental involvement in child rearing and nurturance. It’s also almost unanimous that grandchildren exert positive influence on neglected grandparents who are often lonely and depressed. As usual there’s a lot else in this year-end issue of ParentsWorld. Check out Middle Years story on the benefits of gentle parenting and the Special Essay that advises parents to transform crises and stressful times to teach children the virtue of resilience. Merry Xmas & Happy New Year!
