The following program discusses
00:00:01.40\00:00:02.77
sensitive issues
related to addictive behavior.
00:00:02.80\00:00:04.97
Parents are
cautioned that some material
00:00:05.00\00:00:06.85
may be too candid
for younger children.
00:00:06.88\00:00:09.00
Welcome back.
00:00:14.54\00:00:15.91
This whole segment is
about grandparent as parents
00:00:15.94\00:00:18.03
and we've talked with Pamela
from the Gap Organization.
00:00:18.06\00:00:22.17
We've talked to her
and know about the way
00:00:22.20\00:00:23.57
of raising her
five grandchildren
00:00:23.60\00:00:25.76
and what was amazing to
me is just about everybody
00:00:25.79\00:00:28.19
in the cafe had a connection.
00:00:28.22\00:00:30.26
Is they were
raised by a grandparent
00:00:30.29\00:00:32.03
or they were raising some one
00:00:32.06\00:00:33.70
like what I've said
right before the break.
00:00:33.73\00:00:35.95
And so you know, Pamela,
00:00:35.98\00:00:37.91
what else do we need to
know about this situation.
00:00:37.94\00:00:40.85
Well, this
situation is widespread.
00:00:40.88\00:00:44.13
Last year the Pew Foundation
00:00:44.16\00:00:45.88
said that about 2 million
children were being raised
00:00:45.91\00:00:48.74
by grandparents who
were the primary care takers.
00:00:48.77\00:00:51.26
When I went online
and found that stat.
00:00:51.29\00:00:53.63
I knew for sure, we
had to do this program.
00:00:53.66\00:00:55.66
Two million children and they
think that's a low estimate.
00:00:55.69\00:00:58.19
And that's a low estimate
00:00:58.22\00:00:59.62
because as we
talked about before
00:00:59.65\00:01:02.13
many don't talk about the fact
00:01:02.16\00:01:03.71
that they're
raising their grandchildren.
00:01:03.74\00:01:05.87
Many of these children
are in and out of their life,
00:01:05.90\00:01:09.09
so it's many more at
any given time, absolutely.
00:01:09.12\00:01:13.95
I also want you to know
that as Ronald said earlier,
00:01:13.98\00:01:17.74
he was raised by grandparents.
00:01:17.77\00:01:19.32
But even the
president of United States
00:01:19.35\00:01:21.48
was raised by his
grandparents, so. All right.
00:01:21.51\00:01:23.90
So-- and they were not poor.
00:01:23.93\00:01:25.87
They were not poor, absolutely.
00:01:25.90\00:01:27.27
So this is not
an economic issue.
00:01:27.30\00:01:28.67
It's not an economic
issue at all, absolutely.
00:01:28.70\00:01:32.55
But the issue
surrounding grandparents,
00:01:32.58\00:01:34.94
they are complex and
they're very emotional
00:01:34.97\00:01:39.44
for the grandparents
and the grandchildren.
00:01:39.47\00:01:42.18
The grandparents
at any given time
00:01:42.21\00:01:44.78
just make the decision to do it,
00:01:44.81\00:01:46.77
because it's the
right thing to do.
00:01:46.80\00:01:48.71
But what I want to say is that,
00:01:48.74\00:01:50.93
we as a community
need to understand
00:01:50.96\00:01:54.73
the issues of these families
and provide more support.
00:01:54.76\00:01:59.45
Every state is different
in terms of the support
00:01:59.48\00:02:03.36
they provide and at
what point they intervene.
00:02:03.39\00:02:07.09
I would just encourage people
00:02:07.12\00:02:08.52
to be aware of what
their state is doing.
00:02:08.55\00:02:11.04
We're in a State of Missouri
00:02:11.07\00:02:13.64
that only if the kids have
gone through the court system
00:02:13.67\00:02:18.53
or have been in DYS or
Divisional View Services
00:02:18.56\00:02:22.77
or Department of Mental Health
can the grandparents get help?
00:02:22.80\00:02:26.72
Even if the kids are placed
00:02:26.75\00:02:28.85
in the
grandparent's home by the state,
00:02:28.88\00:02:32.30
if they don't go through court
00:02:32.33\00:02:33.70
there is really not
very much assistance.
00:02:33.73\00:02:35.93
You know I've heard some people
00:02:35.96\00:02:37.33
talk about the
assistance was maybe
00:02:37.36\00:02:39.23
a couple of hundred
dollars a month. Yes, yes.
00:02:39.26\00:02:40.64
And I am thinking really
a couple of hundred a month?
00:02:40.67\00:02:43.43
Yes. It's a couple
of hundred a month.
00:02:43.46\00:02:45.48
It's less than what a
foster parent would get.
00:02:45.51\00:02:49.63
And I know our big
advocacy is that we're saying,
00:02:49.66\00:02:53.38
to give them the
same level of support
00:02:53.41\00:02:56.56
and help that you
give to foster families.
00:02:56.59\00:02:59.18
Exactly.
00:02:59.21\00:03:00.58
I want to say to you,
00:03:00.61\00:03:02.23
thank you so much
for being on the program.
00:03:02.26\00:03:06.20
And I know that, if
anybody is out there
00:03:06.23\00:03:10.67
that needs
help, needs education,
00:03:10.70\00:03:12.45
needs some kind of encouragement
00:03:12.48\00:03:14.00
that they can call an
organization like yours.
00:03:14.03\00:03:16.51
Yes.
00:03:16.54\00:03:17.91
And so how would they
get a hold of you online?
00:03:17.94\00:03:20.44
I know that-- that's
how I found you. Right.
00:03:20.47\00:03:22.26
Grandparent As Parents
online. Support project.
00:03:22.29\00:03:24.89
And so what is really important
is that you say something,
00:03:24.92\00:03:29.45
reach out to somebody,
00:03:29.48\00:03:30.86
don't do this on your
own and there is lot of times
00:03:30.89\00:03:34.34
that families are
gonna be exhausted.
00:03:34.37\00:03:37.11
So if you know of anybody,
00:03:37.14\00:03:39.09
if a family member
is trying to do this,
00:03:39.12\00:03:41.16
make sure you take
some time and step in.
00:03:41.19\00:03:45.11
Can I have the kids for dinner?
00:03:45.14\00:03:46.67
Can I take them to the beach?
00:03:46.70\00:03:48.85
Can I do anything?
00:03:48.88\00:03:50.25
Can I drop off and
bring them to church,
00:03:50.28\00:03:52.23
any of that kind of stuff.
00:03:52.26\00:03:53.63
Know that these are
not gonna be easy, kids,
00:03:53.66\00:03:55.30
and don't expect
them to be easy, kids,
00:03:55.33\00:03:57.30
you are the answer.
00:03:57.33\00:04:00.26
You know, some times
on this program we can--
00:04:00.29\00:04:03.82
we can put a topic out there
and just be a voice for someone.
00:04:03.85\00:04:07.00
But you got to be the
hands and the heart of this.
00:04:07.03\00:04:08.86
And so pay
attention to who's around you.
00:04:08.89\00:04:11.10
If there's grandparent raising
their grandchildren, help out.
00:04:11.13\00:04:13.95
And if you're out
their, God bless you.
00:04:13.98\00:04:17.07
I just want to say,
thank you for joining us.
00:04:17.10\00:04:19.10
Always remember that God
is crazy about you, me too
00:04:19.13\00:04:22.73
and especially if you're out
there raising your grandkids.
00:04:22.76\00:04:26.21
We see you and God bless you.
00:04:26.24\00:04:30.07