More Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Leads To Support Class

Being a grandparent in today’s world can bring a lot of unfamiliar challenges when trying to raise a grandchild.

Peaks of Hope Director Scott Allen said he started the Grace Based Grandparenting class after community leaders expressed how many grandparents are raising their grandchildren. Allen said the data backs that up, citing 190,000 kids living in their grandparent’s home in Tennessee.

“There’s a lot of grandparents that are very involved with their grandchildren and raising them,” Allen said. “And it looks like, as we looked into support groups and opportunities that may exist out there to have support, there wasn’t a whole lot out there.”

Allen said that often grandparents struggle with setting the right boundaries. He said this dynamic becomes even more complicated when dealing with divorce or in-laws.

“Some grandparents are being asked to help raise them, what kind of role are grandparents supposed to play?” Allen said. “Do they need to be more involved? Do they need to be less involved? I think it’s an individual by individual situation. And blended families, step-families and the challenges that, that brings.”

Allen said the class has begun and will be offered until November 17. He said grandparents will gather as a group from 10:00 AM-11:30 AM every Wednesday.

He said bringing a unique problem into the group might show just how common that struggle is and that others feel the same issues.

“To be setting in a group, in a room with other grandparents and be able to share what’s going on,” Allen said. “And experiences that we have all had, I think will help you feel like, ‘hey, we’re not alone, we’re not the only ones dealing with this issue.”

Allen said there are still openings for the class and people can join even after missing a class. He said the best way to get in contact to join is by visiting the Peaks of Hope Facebook page or pohtn.com