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Out of the Shadows: Are Grandfathers Defining Their Own Roles in the Modern Family in Denmark?

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Grandfathers

Part of the book series: Palgrave Macmillan Studies in Family and Intimate Life ((PSFL))

Abstract

This chapter reports on a study of forty-nine grandfathers in Denmark to determine whether the role of grandfather in the modern Danish family is different from that of previous generations of grandparents.

The research suggests that grandfathers in Denmark take on a mentoring role for grandchildren, passing on to their grandchildren knowledge, attitudes, and opinions that can help them in life, without intruding on the role of the parents.

Time is what the interviewed grandfathers have most of, and it is an important dimension in their role as a grandfather.

Most grandfathers felt being a grandparent was an integral part of their life and that, although there were frustrations at times, overall their involvement with their grandchildren brought them much happiness.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    This is based on our own calculations using data from Statistics Denmark citing the average age at first birth for women in 1979 (25 years) and 2008 (29 years) respectively and life expectancy for a 54-year-old woman in 2008.

  2. 2.

    ‘Fractured’ refers to families where the grandfather is in a second marriage, but also where one or more of the children has divorced (and may or may not have remarried).

  3. 3.

    “Step” grandfather refers to a non-biological grandfather.

  4. 4.

    DaneAge is a national membership organization in Denmark working with and for older people: www.aeldresagen.dk

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Oxford Institute of Population Ageing, Oxford, UK

    George W. Leeson

  2. Oxford Martin School, Oxford, UK

    George W. Leeson

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  1. George W. Leeson
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Correspondence to George W. Leeson .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Oxford, United Kingdom

    Ann Buchanan

  2. Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

    Anna Rotkirch

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© 2016 The Author(s)

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Leeson, G.W. (2016). Out of the Shadows: Are Grandfathers Defining Their Own Roles in the Modern Family in Denmark?. In: Buchanan, A., Rotkirch, A. (eds) Grandfathers. Palgrave Macmillan Studies in Family and Intimate Life. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-56338-5_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-56338-5_4

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-137-56337-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-137-56338-5

  • eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)

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