Grandparents as Parents, Second Edition A Survival Guide for Raising a Second Family

by de Toledo, Sylvie; Brown, Deborah Edler

• ISBN13: 9781462509157
• ISBN10: 1462509150
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2013-05-21
• Publisher: The Guilford Press

Summary

This empowering guide is the leading resource for the growing numbers of grandparents confronted with the challenges (and joys) of childrearing all over again. Providing urgently needed information, emotional support, and practical pointers, the authors cover everything from caring for vulnerable kids and setting boundaries with their often-troubled parents to navigating the maze of government aid, court proceedings, and special education. Wise, honest, moving stories show how numerous grandparents are surviving and thriving in their new roles. Updated throughout, and reflecting current laws and policies affecting families, the second edition features new discussions of kids' technology use and special issues when a parent is incarcerated.

Author Biography

Sylvie de Toledo, LCSW, BCD, is Founder and Clinical Director of Grandparents as Parents, Inc., a nonprofit organization based in Los Angeles, California, and is a recognized expert on issues affecting grandparents and other relative caregivers. She has received awards and other honors from organizations including the Alliance for Children's Rights, the Southern California Psychiatric Society, the United States Senate's Special Committee on Aging, and the California Coalition of Relative Caregivers. Her website is www.grandparentsasparents.org. Deborah Edler Brown is an award-winning journalist and poet based in Los Angeles. She was a long-time reporter for Time magazine and has written for numerous other publications, including Psychiatric Times.

Table of Contents

Introduction I. When the Second Shift Arrives 1. Unplanned Parenthood: "Why Me?" 2. Taking Immediate Action 3. Your Lifestyle: Changed and Challenged 4. Family at Large: Your Spouse and Other Children 5. Your Adult Child 6. Your Troubled Grandchild 7. Your Grandchild and the School 8. The Drug Epidemic at Home 9. When Parents Get Their Children Back II. Through the Red Tape 10. Grandparenting and the Law 11. Child Protection and the Dependency System 12. Government Aid and Public Assistance 13. Special Education and Early Intervention III. Strength in Numbers 14. Their Arms about Us: Finding and Forming Support Groups 15. Conclusion Appendix A. Resources for Grandparents and Relative Caregivers Appendix B. Conversation Topics for Grandparent Support Groups Appendix C. Poem: Thank You to the Relatives of The Crying Woman