美國祖父母成“孫奴” 出錢又出力

2012-03-31 08:46

Generational differences and the economy are shifting more responsibilities for children from their parents to grandparents, according to a new survey.

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Generational differences and the economy are shifting more responsibilities for children from their parents to grandparents, according to a new survey.

More than one-third of grandparents aged 50 and older contribute financially to their grandchildren's' upbringing, and 11 percent have a grandchild living with them, the poll by AARP, the lobbying group for 36 million older US citizens, showed.

Forty percent of people who responded to the telephone survey, whose average age was 69, reported spending more than $500 on grandchildren over the past year beyond traditional gifts. Education costs accounted for 53 percent, daily expenses for 37 percent and medical and dental costs for 23 percent.

Sixteen percent provided daycare for grandchildren.

"They are the safety net for American families, helping to pay for practical expenses and necessities," said Amy Goyer, AARP's multigenerational and family issues expert.

"We see many providing daycare services, while growing numbers even have grandchildren living with them," she said, referring to the 16 percent who watch their grandchildren while the parents are at work or school.

Overall nearly 90 percent of the 1,904 grandparents questioned said they play a very or somewhat important role in their grandchildren's lives, and about 70 percent live within 50 miles of the closest one.

The poll conducted by Woelfel Research Inc. also showed that grandparents were increasingly keyed in to the younger generation's life issues and preferred ways of communicating.

More than one-third connect with their grandchildren via email, Skype or text messaging, while half said they routinely discuss topics ranging from values and spirituality to drug and alcohol use.

Nearly 40 percent said they had discussed dating or sex with at least one grandchild. About 60 percent said they spoke with their grandchildren at least once a week.

Most of the grandparents said they had five or more grandchildren, while one-fourth said they have grandchildren of a different race, mixed race or different ethnicity.

(Read by Brian Salter. Brian Salter is a journalist at the China Daily Website.)

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(Agencies)

根據一項新研究，隔代差異和經濟形勢將更多撫養孩子的責任從父母身上轉移到了祖父母身上。

美國退休人員協會的調查顯示，50歲以上的祖父母有超過三分之一為孫子女的培養提供經濟支持，11%的人讓孫子女和自己住在一起。美國退休協會是一個針對3600萬美國老年公民的游說組織。

電話調查的應答者有40%報告說，他們去年除了傳統禮物外，給孫子女花的錢在500美元以上。其中教育費用占53%，日常開支占37%，醫療和看牙花費占23%。這些被調查者的平均年齡為69歲。

16%的祖父母在白天照看孫子女。

美國退休人員協會的多代家庭問題專家艾米?戈伊爾說：“他們是美國家庭的安全網，幫忙支付實際生活中的費用和必需品。”

戈伊爾提到有16%的祖父母在子女工作或求學期間幫助照看孫子女，她說：“我們看到許多祖父母在白天照看孩子，越來越多的人甚至讓孫子女和自己住在一起。”

總體而言，接受調查的1904名祖父母中，有近90%稱自己在孫子女的生活中扮演著非常或比較重要的角色，約70%的祖父母住在離孫子女50英里的范圍內。

沃菲爾調查機構開展的這一調查還顯示，祖父母們越來越多地去適應年輕一代的生活問題和他們喜歡的交流方式。

超過三分之一的祖父母通過電子郵件、網絡電話Skype或短信和孫子女聯系，半數祖父母稱他們慣常和孫子女討論從價值觀、精神生活到吸毒酗酒等各種話題。

近40%的祖父母稱，他們和至少一個孫兒討論過約會或性。約60%稱他們每周至少和孫子女交談一次。

大多數祖父母稱他們有五個以上的孫子女，四分之一的祖父母說他們有不同種族、血統或混血的孫子女。

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（中國日報網英語點津陳丹妮編輯：Julie）

Vocabulary:

AARP: America Association of Retired Persons 美國退休人員協會

key: 使協調；使適應某種情況（或形式等）

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