Bridging Generations: Exploring the Role of GRAND Parents in Urban Families

The traditional Indian joint family system is undergoing significant changes due to urbanization, nuclearization, and socio-economic shifts. The study aims to review the evolving role of grandparents in modern urban Indian families. It focuses on the kind of participation of grandparents in family with reference to childcare, emotional support and transmission of family values to the younger generation. It reviews the joy and the sorrow of grandparenting in an urban family setup and present the challenges faced by grandparents in adapting to the changing family dynamics. Finally, it comments on the assumed ‘Mutuality of commitment among the two generations for care and wellbeing of family’ and the possible threats to the social equilibrium in the wake of the processes of rapid change.

The methodology entails detailed study of published literature on grandparenting followed by informal interviews with 12 grandparents using a qualitative research paradigm. A thematic description of the perceived outcome of the rapidly transforming frames of relationships among the two generations in the family is the significant outcome of the study.

The concluding remarks address the following issues: Identification of emerging roles of grandparents in urban Indian families (e.g., childcare, mentorship, emotional support), understanding of the impact of changing family structures on grandparent-grandchild relationships, Insights into the challenges faced by grandparents (e.g., generational gap, changing values), recommendations for policies and programs supporting intergenerational relationships.

This study will contribute to the understanding of the dynamic role of grandparents in modern urban Indian families, informing strategies to promote healthy family relationships, intergenerational solidarity, and social support.