Grandchildren Parenting Experiences of Grandparents

This study was to explore the meaning of life found in the life story of grandparents who are parenting their grandchildren.

This study employed the phenomenological analysis method proposed by Colaizzi. The study was conducted through face-to-face in-depth interviews based on a semistructured interview guide. In-depth interview is a process of communication with purpose and it is where the researcher engages in purposeful conversation with the participant to create knowledge related to the subject to utilize the content provided by the research participant as research data.

The study results are grandparents taking care of grandparents showed 3 categories Worth, Relations with adult children, and Difficulties of parenting. Grandparents taking care of grandparents showed 3 categories ‘Worth’, ‘Relations with adult children‘, and ’Difficulties of parenting‘. The above study results show that grandparents taking care of grandchildren were participating in parenting through their own parenting experiences and parenting literature although they were not largely influenced by their own grandparents in the past.

This study can be provided as basic data for education of grandparents participating in parenting grandchildren and young couples trying to find a balance between work and family.