Transfers between grandparents and grandchildren: the importance of taking a three-generation perspective

'Der demographische Wandel mit der beispiellos langen gemeinsamen Lebenszeit und der sich verschiebenden Balance zwischen Alt und Jung in der Familie erfordert in Hinblick auf Transfers zwischen Großeltern und Enkeln eine Drei-Generationen-Perspektive. Ein großer Teil der Hilfen von Großeltern besteht in ihrer fortwährenden Unterstützung für ihre erwachsenen Kinder, also die Eltern ihrer Enkelkinder. Mit aktuellen norwegischen Daten wird diese indirekte Unterstützung auf drei Ebenen untersucht: Wahrnehmung von Rollenmodellen, tatsächliche Hilfen bei dem elterlichen Aufgaben sowie Unterstützung in schwierigen Zeiten und potenzielle Hilfe. Dabei existieren deutliche Hinweise, dass die Großeltern eine 'Reservearmee' für ihre Kinder und Enkelkinder darstellen, und zwar insbesondere die Großmütter mütterlicherseits. Scheidungen weisen hingegen auf strukturelle Hindernisse für fortwährende Hilfeleistungen hin., insbesondere auf Seiten der Großeltern väterlicherseits. Beim Forschungsdesign und der Durchführung von Studien über heutige Großeltern muss man sich des potenziellen Asymmetrie-Problems bewusst sein und klare Entscheidungen darüber treffen, an welcher Stelle in der Generationenlinie die Untersuchung verankert wird.' (Autorenreferat)'The key argument in this article is that recent demographic change, with unprecedented duration of intergenerational ties and shifting balance between old and young in family lines necessitates three-generational views of transfers between grandparents and grandchildren. Much support from grandparents comes through continued parenting of the middle generation, the grandchildren's parents. Using recent data from Norway, such indirect support is explored through three avenues: ideal role perceptions, actual help in parenting, support in difficult times and potential help. In most instances, there is considerable evidence that grand-parents represent a 'reserve army' for their children and grandchildren, especially grand-mothers in the maternal line. Divorce may represent structural obstacles to the flow of sup-port, especially in the paternal line. In designing and executing studies of modern grandparents, researchers need to be aware of asymmetry as a potential problem and be very clear on where in vertical connections the research is anchored.' (author's abstract

2,000 Families: identifying the research potential of an origins-of-migration study

Despite recent advances, critical areas in the analysis of European migration remain underdeveloped. We have only a limited understanding of the consequences of migration for migrants and their descendants, relative to staying behind; and our insights of intergenerational transmission is limited to two generations of those living in the destination countries. These limitations stem from a paucity of studies that incorporate comparison with non-migrants – and return migrants – in countries of origin and which trace processes of intergenerational transmission over multiple generations. This paper outlines the theoretical and methodological discussions in the field, design and data of the 2,000 Families study. The study comprises almost 50,000 members of migrant and non-migrant Turkish families across three family generations, living in Turkey and eight European countries. We provide indicative findings from the study, framed within a theoretical perspective of “dissimilation” from origins, and reflect on its potential for future migration research

The effects of siblings on the migration of women in two rural areas of Belgium and the Netherlands, 1829-1940

This study explores the extent to which the presence and activities of siblings shaped the chances of women migrating to rural and urban areas in two rural areas of Belgium and the Netherlands during the second half of the nineteenth and first decades of the twentieth century. Shared-frailty Cox proportional hazard analyses of longitudinal data from historical population registers show that siblings exerted an additive impact on women's migration, independently of temporal and household characteristics. Just how siblings influenced women's migration depended on regional modes of production and on employment opportunities. In the Zeeland region, sisters channelled each other into service positions. In the Pays de Herve, where men and women found industrial work in the Walloon cities, women were as much influenced by their brothers' activities. Evidence is found for two mechanisms explaining the effects of siblings: micro-economic notions of joint-household decision-making and social capital theory

Transfers zwischen Großeltern und Enkelkindern - Warum es wichtig ist, eine Drei-Generationen-Perspektive einzunehmen

The key argument in this article is that recent demographic change, with unprecedented duration of intergenerational ties and shifting balance between old and young in family lines necessitates three-generational views of transfers between grandparents and grandchildren. Much support from grandparents comes through continued parenting of the middle generation, the grandchildren’s parents. Using recent data from Norway, such indirect support is explored through three avenues: ideal role perceptions, actual help in parenting, support in difficult times and potential help. In most instances, there is considerable evidence that grandparents represent a “reserve army” for their children and grandchildren, especially grandmothers in the maternal line. Divorce may represent structural obstacles to the flow of support, especially in the paternal line. In designing and executing studies of modern grandparents, researchers need to be aware of asymmetry as a potential problem and be very clear on where in vertical connections the research is anchored. (DIPF/Orig.)Der demographische Wandel mit der beispiellos langen gemeinsamen Lebenszeit und der sich verschiebenden Balance zwischen Alt und Jung in der Familie erfordert in Hinblick auf Transfers zwischen Großeltern und Enkeln eine Drei-Generationen-Perspektive. Ein großer Teil der Hilfen von Großeltern besteht in ihrer fortwährenden Unterstützung für ihre erwachsenen Kinder, also die Eltern ihrer Enkelkinder. Mit aktuellen norwegischen Daten wird diese indirekte Unterstützung auf drei Ebenen untersucht: Wahrnehmung von Rollenmodellen, tatsächliche Hilfen bei dem elterlichen Aufgaben sowie Unterstützung in schwierigen Zeiten und potenzielle Hilfe. Dabei existieren deutliche Hinweise, dass die Großeltern eine „Reservearmee“ für ihre Kinder und Enkelkinder darstellen, und zwar insbesondere die Großmütter mütterlicherseits. Scheidungen weisen hingegen auf strukturelle Hindernisse für fortwährende Hilfeleistungen hin, insbesondere auf Seiten der Großeltern väterlicherseits. Beim Forschungsdesign und der Durchführung von Studien über heutige Großeltern muss man sich des potenziellen Asymmetrie-Problems bewusst sein und klare Entscheidungen darüber treffen, an welcher Stelle in der Generationenlinie die Untersuchung verankert wird. (DIPF/Orig.

Småbarnsfamiliens støttespillere : dagens besteforeldre

Artiklene i Samfunnsspeilet er tilgjengelige fra SSBs nettsider: http://www.ssb.no/ssp/Besteforeldre er viktige støttespillere i småbarnsfamiliers liv. Halvparten av småbarnsforeldre får hjelp av egne foreldre til barnepass, men det er bestemødre som i størst grad stiller opp. Flere kvinner som bor alene med barn, får hjelp sammenlignet med dem som bor sammen med partner. Selv om skilsmisse i den eldste generasjonen fører til at hjelpen blir mindre, slår myten om moderne, selvopptatte besteforeldre sprekker i lys av nye forskningsresultater

God relasjon? Det spørs hvem som spørres : forholdet mellom skilte foreldre og voksne barn

Hvem vi spør, er avgjørende for beskrivelsen av forholdet mellom skilte foreldre og voksne barn. Spør vi mødre og fedre, oppgir svært få å ha et dårlig forhold til sine barn. Spør vi skilsmissebarn, derimot, er historien en ganske annen. Det mest negative bildet tegnes om far–datter relasjonen sett med døtres øyne. Det forholdet som foreldre og barn vurderer mest likt, er mellom mor og sønn. Mor–datter-relasjonen viser seg å være mer sårbar enn tidligere antatt

God relasjon? Det spørs hvem som spørres : forholdet mellom skilte foreldre og voksne barn

Artiklene i Samfunnsspeilet er tilgjengelige fra SSBs nettsider: http://www.ssb.no/ssp/Hvem vi spør, er avgjørende for beskrivelsen av forholdet mellom skilte foreldre og voksne barn. Spør vi mødre og fedre, oppgir svært få å ha et dårlig forhold til sine barn. Spør vi skilsmissebarn, derimot, er historien en ganske annen. Det mest negative bildet tegnes om far–datter relasjonen sett med døtres øyne. Det forholdet som foreldre og barn vurderer mest likt, er mellom mor og sønn. Mor–datter-relasjonen viser seg å være mer sårbar enn tidligere antatt