Expectations and Realities of Living in Skipped Generation Households

The establishment of skipped generation households (SGHs) is driven by grandparents’ expectations for proper care, which may differ from the actual experiences within these households (Zimmer, Z., & Treleaven, E., Skip-generation household trends in low-and middle-income countries, 2021). While it is often assumed that grandchildren raised by grandparents will be indulged and lack discipline, the main drive of these households is to instill cultural values and maintain family unity. During times of nuclear family crisis, grandparents are expected to provide essential care and support to the child (Dolbin-MacNab, M. L., & Yancura, L. A., The International Journal of Aging and Human Development 86:3−33, 2018). However, the realities in skipped generation households do not always align with these expectations (Ijadunola, M. Y., PLoS One 8:e65303, 2013). Factors such as the age of grandparents and grandchildren, economic status, health conditions, and educational level of the grandparents contribute to the disparities between expectations and realities (Wen, M., Ren, Q., Korinek, K., & Trinh, H. N., Social Science Research 80:145−155, 2019). This chapter examines the differences between traditional expectations and current realities in skipped generation households for both grandchildren and their grandparents.