Multigenerational rela tion ships in fam ilies with custodial grandparents*

This chapter examines patterns of parent-child relationships among youth in custodial grandparent households. We do so using unique, multimethod data gathered from custodial grandparents and their teenaged grandchildren in New York State. Our analysis reveals several themes: In some instances the parent takes a friend-like role in the child’s life, while in others the parent can be unreliable or even destructive. Adolescents’ feelings toward their parents include anger, ambivalence, and longing. Finally, grandparents play key roles in moder - ating the youth-parent relationship, oftentimes working hard to build ties between the grandchildren they are raising and their nonresidential parents.