Grandparenting is one of life’s greatest blessings—but it isn’t always easy.
In this episode of The Cool Grandpa Podcast, I explore three of the biggest challenges facing grandparents today, backed by current research and years of conversations with grandparents across the country.
You’ll discover why family estrangement has become one of the fastest-growing emotional challenges for grandparents, why millions of grandparents are unexpectedly raising grandchildren, and how relationships with adult children can either strengthen or strain the entire family.
Whether you’re struggling with one of these issues or want to become a wiser, more intentional grandparent, this episode offers practical encouragement and hope.
In This Episode
- Why family estrangement hurts so deeply
- The emotional toll of losing contact with grandchildren
- What “ambiguous loss” means for grandparents
- Why grandparents are raising more than 2 million children
- The physical, emotional, and financial realities of kinship caregiving
- Healthy ways to navigate relationships with adult children
- How to become a trusted advisor instead of an unwanted critic
- Three reflection questions every grandparent should ask
Resources Mentioned
Family Estrangement
Joshua Coleman, Ph.D.
Rules of Estrangement: Why Adult Children Cut Ties and How to Heal the Conflict
More Than Grand
Grandkids Matter
Research on Grandparent Estrangement
Gilligan, Suitor & Pillemer
“Estrangement Between Older Parents and Their Adult Children”
Journal of Family Issues
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
Generations United
Particularly:
https://www.gu.org/explore-our-topics/grandfamilies
U.S. Census Bureau
Grandparents Living With Grandchildren
https://www.census.gov/topics/families/grandparents.html
Research on Custodial Grandparents
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
https://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph
(Research reviews on grandparents raising grandchildren and caregiver well-being.)
Healthy Grandparent Relationships
HelpGuide
https://www.helpguide.org/articles/parenting-family/grandparenting-tips.htm
Key Takeaways
✅ Family estrangement is more common than many people realize.
✅ Grandparents raising grandchildren often face significant emotional and financial challenges.
✅ Strong relationships with adult children begin with trust, respect, and healthy boundaries.
✅ Grandparents can continue to lead their families through wisdom rather than control.
Links
Here is the link to the conversation that I had with Jamarl D. Clark and Mr. Robert Brown from Generations United: https://cool-grandpa.com/2024/04/19/ep-178-support-for-grandparents-with-generations-united/
You can watch this episode on YouTube at https://youtu.be/ZBQW6Ez9VKM. Please remember to like and subscribe to the channel.
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More Than Grand 
Grandfathers have a unique and meaningful role to play in grandchildren’s development, yet they often find themselves behind the scenes, on the sidelines, or less engaged than they’d like to be. This masterclass delivers a playbook for helping grandfathers level up their influence and impact. Listeners to The Cool Grandpa Podcast can receive 40% off this course by using Cool40 at checkout.
Founded in 2011 by Aaron Larsen as a way to honor his grandparents, GrandparentsAcademy.com is the world’s first and only online academy dedicated to helping grandparents grow meaningful relationships and rich legacies with their loved ones.
