Bridging the Generations: A Retrospective Examination of Adults' Relationships with Their Kinship Caregivers

Abstract

Despite continued growth in the number of kinship care families, little is known about the experiences of the children. This retrospective study, which was informed by the perspective of intergenerational ambivalence, examined how adults who were raised by grandparents or great-grandparents experienced their relationships with their caregivers. It also explored how these intergenerational relationships evolved over time and were influenced by the caregiving context. Participants included 20 adults whose grandparents or great-grandparents had been their primary caregivers for at least 5 years. Participation involved completing a semistructured, qualitative interview. Findings revealed both strengths and challenges in participants' relationships with their kinship caregivers. In terms of strengths, participants experienced intense emotional bonds to their caregivers that they equated to a parent-child relationship. They were grateful for these relationships and respected their kinship caregivers' efforts in raising them. Participants also reported how instrumental and emotional support from their caregivers provided them with a sense of stability and unconditional love. At the same time, participants described sources of relational conflict or distance. One issue was loyalty conflicts between participants, their parents, and their kinships caregivers. Navigating differing rules and expectations related to the generation gap between participants and their kinship caregivers was another source of stress, especially for participants raised by great-grandparents. Although family conflicts and tension were often resolved by the conclusion of adolescence, remnants of disrupted relationships sometimes persisted as participants entered adulthood. The findings from this study highlight the significant and supportive role that kinship caregivers play throughout children's lives. Findings also suggest that managing intergenerational ambivalence may be a central task for children raised by grandparents and great-grandparents. Implications for practice, policy, and research are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• grandparents
• grandchildren
• intergenerational ambivalence
• kinship care

The authors acknowledge the research assistance of Gabriel Grass, Saralyn Grass, Anthony Issenmann, L. Reece Nielson, Sarah Reymer, Bethany Roberts, Alexandra Policay, and Dana Stone Harris.