Raising Their Grandchildren

I interviewed 15 Navajo grandparents who were raising their grandchildren in orderto discover their strengths, challenges, and needs when raising their grandchildren. Theparticipants lived in the northern sector of the Navajo Nation. Three research questionsguided the study: 'What strengths do Navajo grandparents bring into the relationship withtheir grandchildren?' 'What challenges do Navajo grandparents face as they are raising theirgrandchildren?' 'What do the Navajo grandparents need to help them meet or overcome thechallenges?' Strengths included teaching their grandchildren, setting a good example,nurturing them with proper teaching, and working with them to help them becomeindependent. Challenges included lack of financial resources in addition to the dysfunctionand alcoholism in their own children who were the biological parents. The grandparents alsoexperienced challenges related to their grandchildren such as keeping them safe and nothaving child care. Challenges related to themselves included having health issues, having tostart over again being parents, and feeling overwhelmed. The grandparents indicated thatthey needed financial assistance to help with their grandchildren. They also wanted moreinformation about how to help their grandchildren with education and how to help themlearn their Navajo culture. The grandparents wanted to meet with other grandparents to talkwith them about how to raise their grandchildren. They wanted time to take care ofthemselves. The Navajo grandparents wanted to enjoy their later years; however, becausethey were raising their grandchildren, they were experiencing emotional, physical, andfinancial difficulties. They cared deeply for their grandchildren, yet they were willing to make thenecessary sacrifices and show ajoobaa’ (care) to them. Despite the difficulties they had, theyfound joy and fulfillment in their role as grandparents. Recommendations for practice includeproviding financial resources as well as providing information about raising grandchildren.Recommendations also include providing networking opportunities with other grandparentswho were raising their grandchildren. Recommendations for future research are included.