Percepções de avós cuidadoras maternas sobre a criação e educação dos netos

Abstract

The increasing elderly population and new cultural and theoretical constructions about the processes of aging is reconfiguring the roles assumed by older within the contemporary family. This study investigated the perception of grandparent caregivers on maternal parenting practices and monitoring of their grandchildren at school age and their views on development, education and intergenerational relationships. The research was divided into two stages. The first screening, with the participation of 70 women with mean age of 66.2 years, grandparents of children aged 7 to 10 years old, attending a private school in the city of Juiz de Fora, being subjected to the application a survey instrument for the identification of grandparents caring. After statistical analysis, 10 grandparents, aged over 60 years, were selected for participation in the second stage of the research, responding to a semi-structured interview guide which involved twelve questions divided into five themes. The results from the screening instrument showed that 80% of grandparents were in the age group between 50 and 59 years while the majority of elderly grandparents, 85.5% were between the ages of 60-69 years and 14, 5% between 70-79 years. With regard to marital status, 60% of mature grandparents were married while 54.5% of elderly grandparents were in a stable union. The average number of children for the total sample of grandparents was 3.49 and the mean number of grandchildren was between 4.27. The average number of people living with grandparents was 2.72 per household. Of the initial sample, 6.7% of grandmothers mature grandmothers and 32.7% of participants were identified as caregivers, while 86.6% of grandmothers mature and older 67.3% were considered auxiliary. Grandmas elderly caregivers, 10 women participated in the interview (the second stage of the research). The content analysis of these interviews showed that the separation of work and children are the main reasons that motivate the care of grandchildren for grandparents. For design of the education and upbringing of their grandchildren, grandmothers conceive this role in a restrictive manner, differentiated the children, playing it so secondary. In relation to child development of their grandchildren, grandmothers revealed difficulties related to nutrition, family setting and lack thereof, declare that even the care of grandchildren to give them more benefits than losses. With regard to intergenerational relationships and families, the elderly consider old age as a milestone for personal and functional changes in the family. The results showed that represent practical support grandparents caring for children and affection for their grandchildren while playing a secondary role in their education.