Grandfathers' and Grandmothers' Satisfaction with the Grandparenting Role: Seeking New Answers to Old Questions

Abstract

A total of 146 Australian grandparents rated their level of satisfaction with grandparenthood as an overall experience and ranked the satisfaction they gained from this role relative to other significant roles in adult life including parenthood, marriage and career. In contrast to the results of a seminal study conducted in the United States three decades ago (Neugarten & Weinstein, 1964), only a small minority (8%) were more dissatisfied than satisfied with the grandparenting role. On the other hand, in line with Neugarten and Weinstein's results, but in contrast to the results of two intervening studies of North American grandparents (Thomas 1986, 1989), there were no significant differences between grandfathers' and grandmothers' levels of satisfaction with grandparenting. Frequent contact with grandchildren predicted high levels of satisfaction in grandparents of both genders, whereas there were no effects of the grandparent's own age or marital status, or of the grandchildren's gender, age or number. In addition to the two main gratifications of biological renewal and emotional fulfillment reported by Neugarten and Weinstein, these older Australians frequently reported the opportunities to observe their grandchildren's development and share in their activities as the best features of grandparenthood, while lack of frequent enough contact was the worst feature.