The grandparent role: a double bind

In response to open-ended questions, married and single mothers described advantages and disadvantages of having grandparents in the family. Single mothers emphasized the value of grandparents' practical and moral support in childrearing; married mothers more often stressed grandparents' value in providing family heritage and stability. Married and single mothers agreed that grandparents' interference in childrearing could pose threats to family harmony. It is proposed that grandparents may face a double bind in attempting to meet parents' expectations: parents may expect grandparents to simultaneously be supportive without interfering. This double bind may be particularly poignant for grandparents in single mother families.