September 11 is National Grandparents Day

Levi Rickert, editor-in-chief in Native Currents. Thank your Grandparents »

WASHINGTON - Grandparents play an important role in the lives of American Indian children. Sunday, September is "Grandparents Day 2011."

Whitepigeon Grandparents in 1967

Large proportions of American Indian children are being raised by their grandparents. Some American Indian tribes report over 50 percent of their children being raised by their grandparents.

In 1970, Marian McQuade began a campaign to set aside a special day just for grandparents. In 1978, President Jimmy Carter signed a presidential proclamation, designating the first Sunday after Labor Day as National Grandparents Day.

The first official observance was Sept. 9, 1979 - and has been celebrated every year since. In honor of our nation's grandparents, the Native News Network is providing figures provided by the Census Bureau about the role grandparents play in all American life.

6.7 million

The number of grandparents whose grandchildren younger than 18 lived with them in 2009.

Grandparents as Caregivers

2.7 million

Grandmother Whitepigeon

The number of grandparents responsible for most of the basic needs (ie, food, shelter, clothing) of one or more grandchildren who lived with them in 2009. These grandparents represented about 40 percent of all grandparents whose grandchildren lived with them. Of these caregivers, 1.7 million were grandmothers, and 1 million were grandfathers.

8%

Percentage of grandparents living with grandchildren who were caring for their grandchildren and whose income was below the poverty level. This represents half a million grandparents.

$45,007

Median income for families with grandparent-caregiver householders and/or spouses. If a parent of the grandchildren was not present, the median dropped to $33,417.

1 million

Number of grandparents responsible for caring for their grandchildren for at least the past five years.

1.9 million

The number of grandparent-caregivers who were married.

1.6 million

The number of grandparents who were in the labor force and also responsible for most of the basic needs of their grandchildren.

700,000

Number of grandparents with a disability who were caring for their grandchildren.

70%

Among grandparents who were responsible for their grandchildren, the percentage who lived in an owner-occupied home.

Grandchildren

7.5 million

The number of children living with a grandparent in 2010; these children comprised 10 percent of all children in the United States. Of these children, 4.9 million lived in the grandparent's home.

3.2 million

The number of children who lived with both a grandmother and a grandfather in 2010.

Among children younger than 5 whose mothers were employed, the percentage cared for on a regular basis by a grandparent during their mother's working hours in 2005.

posted September 10, 2011 6:00 am edt