Grandparenting

Demographic shifts, changing family structures, evolving gender norms, and diverse government policies have brought grandparenthood to the forefront of economic discourse. The rising availability of multigenerational data and increased global grandparent numbers have fueled a growing body of research exploring the impact of grandparenthood and grandparent childcare on labor supply decisions, childcare, child outcomes, and health. Throughout the literature, there is a recognition of the gender imbalance in care relationships, and the complex issues of endogeneity. Institutional differences across countries – cultural and social norms of behavior surrounding gender and care transfers, labor market policies of fertility and retirement, and government support for formal care options – yield vastly different grandparenthood relationships worldwide. This chapter compiles current literature that covers grandparenthood demographics, proximity, grandchild care, and the impact of grandparenthood on the outcomes of grandchildren, parents, and grandparents.