The role of grandparents in today\u27s family

Ko pridejo ljudje do šestdesetih let, ko zapusti družino še zadnji otrok, se čutijo osamljene in nekoristne. Nov smisel življenja najdejo v vnukih, saj v njih vidijo svoje potomce. Namen diplomskega dela je bil predstaviti današnjo vlogo dedkov in babic v družini, ter ugotoviti, ali so stari starši vir socialne podpore in kakšne oblike socialne podpore nudijo ostalim družinskim članom. Uporabili smo kvantitativno metodologijo. Podatke smo pridobili s pomočjo treh delno strukturiranih anketnih vprašalnikov, ki so vsebovali 11 do 15 vprašanj. Raziskava za stare starše je potekala pri naključno izbranih starejših ljudeh v čakalnici pred referenčno ambulanto v Slovenskih Konjicah, raziskava za starše pri naključno izbranih odraslih v nakupovalnem centru Celje in raziskava za vnuke med sedmošolci na Osnovni šoli Vitanje. Stari starši so pomemben vir socialne podpore, svojim družinam pomagajo kolikor jim je v moči. Veliko starih staršev ima vnuke v vsakodnevnem varstvu, na vnuke popazijo tudi kadar morajo njihovi starši po opravkih, so na voljo, kadar družinski člani potrebujejo pogovor, znajo potolažiti in opogumiti, pomagajo pri hišnih in gospodinjskih opravilih ter veliko pripomorejo tudi finančno. Družinski člani so jim za pomoč zelo hvaležni. Stari starši so resnično nekaj posebnega v življenjih vnukov, njihove vloge ne smemo zatajevati ali je omejevati. Pustimo starim staršem, da znova začutijo igrivost, brezskrbnost, da zaživijo vlogo babic in dedkov. Otroci potrebujejo svoje stare starše.When people are around sixty years old and their last child leaves the family, they are lonely and feel useless. The new meanings of life represent their grandchildren because they see them as their descendants. The purpose of the thesis was to present today’s role of grandparents in the family, and to determine whether the grandparents are a source of social support, and what kind of social support they offer to the other family members. We used quantitative methodology. Data were collected through three semi-structured questionnaires, which contained 11 to 15 questions. Questionnaires for grandparents were split among randomly selected elderly people in the waiting room before the clinic in Slovenske konjice, questionnaires for parents among randomly selected adults in a shopping center in Celje and for grandchildren among seventh grade students at Vitanje Primary School. Grandparents are an important source of social support. They help their families as much as they can. Many grandparents have grandchildren in their daily care. They are available to take care for grandchildren when parents have to run errands, when they need to talk, know how to comfort and encourage, assist with household and household chores, and also contribute financially. Family members are very grateful for their help. Grandparents are truly something special in lives of grandchildren, their role should not be denied or restricted. We have to allow grandparents to feel the playfulness and carefreeness again, we have to allow them to live the role of grandmothers and grandfathers. Children need their grandparents