Grandparents Raising Grandchildren: Expanding Your View

Numbers of grandparents caring for grandchildren continues to increase. Circumstances may vary but caregiving grandparents often share similar challenges and unique strengths. Using this book allows grandparent caregivers to expand their views about their not-so-new role through short readings, creative activities, relevant examples, and personal reflection. This fast paced book provides consistent doses of information, wisdom, and insights to reaffirm your commitment to the critical job you've undertaken: that of a caregiving grandparent. Grandparents who have been caregiving for a substantial period of time will find additional activities specially designed to recognize your "veteran" status and assist in expanding your caregiving roles.

This book may be used individually by grandparents as a self-paced guidebook and/or may be used by professional facilitators working with caregiving grandparents in group settings. Each chapter provides basic information on a pertinent topic and opportunities to engage in related creative activities. Chapter topics include recognizing personal needs, self care, building strong relationships, enhancing resiliency, building childhoods for grandchildren, and rediscovering passion and joy. Opportunities for personal reflection and practicing gratitude are also included within each chapter.

Andrea Smith, Ph.D., LMSW and Linda Dannison, Ph.D., CFLE have over 25 years experience working with custodial grandparent families. They have developed resources and materials used by professionals and families throughout the United States and internationally. Their family histories include parents who were raised by grandparents. Andrea and Linda's families include 17 well-loved grandchildren.Andrea Smith, Ph.D., LMSW and Linda Dannison, Ph.D., CFLE have over 25 years experience working with custodial grandparent families. They have developed resources and materials used by professionals and families throughout the United States and internationally. Their family histories include parents who were raised by grandparents. Andrea and Linda's families include 17 well-loved grandchildren.