美国祖父母很忙：照顾五个以上的孙子女

Generational differences and the economy are shifting more responsibilities for children from their parents to grandparents, according to a new survey。

More than one-third of grandparents aged 50 and older contribute financially to their grandchildren's' upbringing, and 11 percent have a grandchild living with them, the poll by AARP, the lobbying group for 36 million older US citizens, showed。

Forty percent of people who responded to the telephone survey, whose average age was 69, reported spending more than $500 on grandchildren over the past year beyond traditional gifts. Education costs accounted for 53 percent, daily expenses for 37 percent and medical and dental costs for 23 percent。

Sixteen percent provided daycare for grandchildren。

"They are the safety net for American families, helping to pay for practical expenses and necessities," said Amy Goyer, AARP's multigenerational and family issues expert。

"We see many providing daycare services, while growing numbers even have grandchildren living with them," she said, referring to the 16 percent who watch their grandchildren while the parents are at work or school。

Overall nearly 90 percent of the 1,904 grandparents questioned said they play a very or somewhat important role in their grandchildren's lives, and about 70 percent live within 50 miles of the closest one。

The poll conducted by Woelfel Research Inc. also showed that grandparents were increasingly keyed in to the younger generation's life issues and preferred ways of communicating。

More than one-third connect with their grandchildren via email, Skype or text messaging, while half said they routinely discuss topics ranging from values and spirituality to drug and alcohol use。

Nearly 40 percent said they had discussed dating or sex with at least one grandchild. About 60 percent said they spoke with their grandchildren at least once a week。

Most of the grandparents said they had five or more grandchildren, while one-fourth said they have grandchildren of a different race, mixed race or different ethnicity。

根据一项新研究，隔代差异和经济形势将更多抚养孩子的责任从父母身上转移到了祖父母身上。

美国退休人员协会的调查显示，50岁以上的祖父母有超过三分之一为孙子女的培养提供经济支持，11%的人让孙子女和自己住在一起。美国退休协会是一个针对3600万美国老年公民的游说组织。

电话调查的应答者有40%报告说，他们去年除了传统礼物外，给孙子女花的钱在500美元以上。其中教育费用占53%，日常开支占37%，医疗和看牙花费占23%。这些被调查者的平均年龄为69岁。

16%的祖父母在白天照看孙子女。

美国退休人员协会的多代家庭问题专家艾米•戈伊尔说：“他们是美国家庭的安全网，帮忙支付实际生活中的费用和必需品。”

戈伊尔提到有16%的祖父母在子女工作或求学期间帮助照看孙子女，她说：“我们看到许多祖父母在白天照看孩子，越来越多的人甚至让孙子女和自己住在一起。”

总体而言，接受调查的1904名祖父母中，有近90%称自己在孙子女的生活中扮演着非常或比较重要的角色，约70%的祖父母住在离孙子女50英里的范围内。

沃菲尔调查机构开展的这一调查还显示，祖父母们越来越多地去适应年轻一代的生活问题和他们喜欢的交流方式。

超过三分之一的祖父母通过电子邮件、网络电话Skype或短信和孙子女联系，半数祖父母称他们惯常和孙子女讨论从价值观、精神生活到吸毒酗酒等各种话题。

近40%的祖父母称，他们和至少一个孙儿讨论过约会或性。约60%称他们每周至少和孙子女交谈一次。

大多数祖父母称他们有五个以上的孙子女，四分之一的祖父母说他们有不同种族、血统或混血的孙子女。