Research on Grandparent Education--Based on a Sample Taken from the 3 Elementary Schools Designated within the Education Priority Area of Chiayi County

[[abstract]]This research aims to gain insight into the parenting of grandfamilies, analyze the impact of grandparenting on grandchildren and grandparents, and to understand schools' progress on promoting grandparent education, as well as the participation and responses of grandparents. We conducted semi-structured interviews on research subjects each attending 1 of the 3 elementary schools currently designated within the Education Priority Area of Chiayi County. We were able to obtain 15 valid observations including the Director of Guidance, teachers, and grandparents of grandfamilies by means of convenience sampling. Data collecting tools used included the interview agreement and the semi-structured interview format. We discovered that: grandparents of grandfamilies take better care of grandchildren in daily living than in academic performance; indulgence, reasoning, encouragement and support, and discipline were all common ways of parenting. The difference in educational backgrounds, limited resources, or generation gaps which contributed to the inability of grandparents of grandfamilies to offer academic assistance to grandchildren, or the limited support for grandchildren arising from incompleteness in family structures resulting in restrained or distorted character development may be problems that exist within grandfamilies. The impacts of grandparenting on grandparents were mainly of economical, physical, psychological, and social aspects. Under constrained sources of income, grandparents often take the view "being grateful for what you have and cut back on spending", "lower your pride and ask for help". When physical health is being threatened, grandparents either "actively resolve" or "passively ignore". When encountering psychological imbalances, grandparents seek for religious support to ease their emotions and pressure. When facing the likelihood that parenting may interfere with their social activities, grandparents choose to “reschedule their social activities to suit grandchildren’s lifestyles”. As for grandchildren, impacts were mainly on educational, psychological, and social aspects. Even though grandparents and grandchildren of grandfamilies are impacted by the generation gap, the elderly and the youngsters still take care of each other; this is the most precious asset as well as the advantage grandfamilies possess. In real practice, “establishing workshop conferences or support groups for parents”, “providing the necessary information and service based on the needs of individual parents”, and “providing services that help youngsters grow and learn” can serve as enhancements and assistance on various aspects of grandparent education. Further more, these three programs are also consistent with the three objectives: “parenting education”, “case by case family guidance”, and “supplementary studies after school” currently assigned to the Education Priority Area. As for the participation of the above three parenting education programs by grandfamilies, grandparents were reluctant towards “establishing workshop conferences or support groups for parents” but favor the more active program of “providing the necessary information and services based on the needs of individual parents”; while the program “providing services that help youngsters grow and learn” which complements grandparents’ parenting of grandchildren was highly participated in by grandchildren of grandfamilies. Finally, practical advice is given based on the conclusion of this research, which shall serve as a guide to establish a joint responsibility parenting pattern for grandparent education.