Alaska Native Grandparents Rearing Grandchildren A Rural Community Story

• Published in: Journal of family issues Vol. 38; no. 4; pp. 547 - 572
• Main Authors: Henderson, Tammy L., Dinh, Minh, Morgan, Kerry, Lewis, Jordan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01-03-2017; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Action research; Community research; Cultural values; Governance; Grandparents; Happiness; Indigenous peoples; Intergenerational relationships; Rural communities; Self esteem; Traditions; United States > US; Alaska; challenges rearing grandchildren; joys of grandparenthood; grandparents rearing grandchildren; Alaska Native People; traditions; cultures; values; traditional ways of living
• ISSN: 0192-513X; 1552-5481
• DOI: 10.1177/0192513X15597292

We used community-based participatory research with four tiers of governance and grounded theory methods to examine the lives of Alaska Native grandparents rearing grandchildren in a rural community. We explored the reasons Native grandparents reared or are rearing their grandchildren, challenges rearing grandchildren, and the joys of grandparenthood. We used their words to broaden the grandparenting research by focusing solely on Native People living in a rural, arctic climate. Culture, values, and traditions explain the unique reasons grandparents cared for their grandchildren; values and common concerns of all grandparents describe the challenges of grandparenthood; pride and joy, the value of love, and traditional ways of living made clear the joys of Alaska Native grandparents rearing their grandchildren. After the discussion, we offer considerations for future research.