Seven caring functions of black grandmothers in adolescent mothering

Exploration of the involvement of Black grandmothers (N = 12) in the primary infant care activities of young adolescent mothers is the focus of this descriptive study. Seven categories of "grandmother caring functions" are identified from an analysis of interview data: managing, caretaking, coaching, assessing, nurturing, assigning, and patrolling. The importance of the grandmother in the functioning of the low-income extended Black family and the maternal role process of the adolescent mother is discussed.