We were finally empty nesters. Then we got custody of our granddaughter and had to go back to work to raise her.
A retired couple in Georgia shares their experience of returning to the workforce to raise their teenage granddaughter. The essay highlights the challenges and adjustments faced by grandparents who take on full-time caregiving roles later in life.
Why it matters
The story sheds light on the growing trend of 'grandfamilies' and the economic pressures faced by older adults who unexpectedly return to parenting.
Connie and Michael Frost have been raising their teenage granddaughter, Kinsley. Connie Frost Michael and Connie Frost, in Georgia, are raising their 13-year-old granddaughter, Kinsley, full-time. Michael said he went back to work shortly after Kinsley came under his care to afford raising her. Michael and Connie have tried to provide her with a stable home and a strong education. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Michael Frost, 67, and his wife Connie, 63, who are raising their teenage granddaughter in Georgia. They have permanent custody of her and said they've prioritized providing her with a stable home and strong education. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. MICHAEL: My wife and I have been raising Kinsley, our granddaughter, since she was 2 years old. Now, she's 13. This is the second marriage for both my wife and me, and we married in 2012.
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