Grandparents Day

A Day to Honor our Grandparents

Native News Network Staff in Native Currents. Discussion »

WASHINGTON – Grandparents play vital roles in Indian country. The positive influence of grandparents last a lifetime. Sunday has been designated as Grandparents Day. Beyond a simply being another Hallmark holiday, Sunday is a great day to remember your grandparents.

Grandparents Day 1962 – Ellen and Levi Whitepigeon

In 1970, Marian McQuade began a campaign to establish a day to honor grandparents. But such a day was not formally established until 1978, when President Jimmy Carter signed a federal proclamation, approving the first Sunday after Labor Day as National Grandparents Day.

Since Sept. 9, 1979, it has been celebrated every year in honor of our nation's grandparents with whom one in 10 of all children in the United States live.

If you are fortunate to still have your grandparents with you, pay them a visit or give them a call to let them know how much you appreciate them.

The Census Bureau presents updates of statistics about grandparent's role and responsibilities in our society:

Grandparents as Caregivers

7.0 million

The number of grandparents whose grandchildren younger than 18 were living with them in 2010. Source: US Census Bureau, 2010 American Community Survey.

2.7 million

The number of grandparents responsible for the basic needs of one or more grandchildren under 18 living with them in 2010. Of these caregivers, 1.7 million were grandmothers and 1.0 million were grandfathers.

580,000

The number of grandparents responsible for grandchildren under 18 and whose income was below the poverty level in the past 12 months compared with the 2.2 million grandparent caregivers whose income was at or above the poverty level.

$45,000

Median income for families with grandparent householders responsible for grandchildren under 18. Among these families, where a parent of the grandchildren was not present, the median income was $33,000.

1.9 million

The number of married (including separated) grandparents responsible for caring for their grandchildren.

1.7 million

The number of grandparents responsible for grandchildren who were in the labor force, out of the total 2.7 million who were responsible for grandchildren.

670,000

The number of grandparents who had a disability and were responsible for their grandchildren.

1.9 million

The estimate of grandparents responsible for their grandchildren who were living in owner-occupied housing, compared with 840,000 that were living in renter-occupied housing.

490,000

The number of foreign-born grandparents responsible for their own grandchildren younger than 18. This contrasts with 2.2 million native-born grandparent caregivers.

2.1 million

The number of grandparents responsible for their grandchildren, who speak only English. Another 270,000 speak another language, but speak English very well; 390,000 speak another language and speak English less than very well.

Grandchildren

5.4 million

The number of children under 18 living with a grandparent householder in 2010.

10 Percent

Percentage of children in the US living with a grandparent in 2010, totaling 7.5 million.

3.2 million

The number of children living with both grandmother and grandfather in 2010.

posted September 9, 2012 7:50 am edt