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Welcome to Issues and Answers.
Did you know that in the most
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recent census bureau statistics
2.4 million of the nation's
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families are maintained by
grandparents who have one or
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more of their grandchildren
living with them, an increase of
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400 thousand, just about
19 percent since 1990. These
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families comprise 7 percent of
all families with children under
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18. Across the United States
almost 7.8 million children are
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living in homes where
grandparents or other relatives
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are their household providers
with more that 5.8 million
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children living in grandparents
homes and nearly 2 million
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children living in other
relatives' homes. These families
are often now called
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now grand families. Now here
to talk about this very topic of
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grandfamilies is Moletta
Robinson who knows firsthand.
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Welcome to the program. So glad
you could come Sister Robinson.
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So glad to be here.
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So tell us about the whole grand
families concept. Did you expect
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that you would have your
grandkids at this stage in your
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life? Never. That
was not my plan. My
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plan was to raise my children
and have them [grandchildren]
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over to play with them and have
fun with them and goodbye, send
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you on your way back
home. But that was not the case.
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So now you grew up where?
You grew up in Washington, D.C.?
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I grew up in Washington, D.C.
I loved Washington, D.C., it's
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a wonderful town and I moved
here to Memphis about 26 years
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ago. Okay and
where do you work now?
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I work at FedEx.
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Okay. That makes Memphis hub,
right? FedEx. So your life is
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pretty busy. It is
very busy. It was very
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busy before I got the children
and it's busier now that I have
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them. Okay so
now tell us the story
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about how this all came to be.
First of all how many children
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do you have? I have
two children and I'm the
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biological grandmother of
six children. But of all the
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children I'm a
grandparent of 12 children.
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Oh my, wow! Because
it's a blended family.
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All these children, my children
then the parent, mothers have
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children so all
of these children.
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You have 12 grandchildren
and do you keep up with all 12?
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I do, I keep up with all 12
of my grandchildren. I show no
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difference in my children, my
biological grandchildren nor my
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other children. They're all my
grandchildren. I love them all.
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Okay. So like you said you were
expecting to be at the point
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where you would love all these
wonderful grandchildren then
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send them home to their parents.
But now what happened? How many
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of your
grandchildren are with you?
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I have the two
youngest children with me now.
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How old were they
when this happened?
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Well the first time they were
young; they were two and four.
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The first time I had them I had
them for six months and that was
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because their mother was in the
hospital, she was hospitalized.
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That was the reason I had them
then. Then when she got out she
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got her children back.
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Now are these your daughter's
children or are these your son's
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children? These
are my son's children.
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Okay but the mother wasn't able
to take care of them and the son
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wasn't able to take care of
them So what would have been the
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choice if you didn't take
care of them? What would have
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happened to them? They
would have been in foster
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care, they would
have been in foster care.
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So when they came how was
it? Were they happy, were they
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regular kids? What kinds of
things did you have to do to
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take care of
them, working still?
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Well the first thing I had to do
was find day care for the little
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one, the two year old. I had to
find day care and the other one
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was in school but the school was
like about 10 miles from where I
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lived. Because that's where
the mother lived so she had the
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children in the school near her
home and I kept the child there
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in that school. So every morning
my day started at 6 o'clock in
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the morning taking the little
one to the baby sitter and then
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taking her to school and picking
them up from school and the day
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care. So I had an active life
at that time but it was like
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temporarily so I was not like
getting all... But this time it
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was different. So
what happened? So they went
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back to the mother. Yes. And how
long did they stay there before
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they...? They
stayed with their mother
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till the older one was nine
years old, she was nine years
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old. So they
were like five, six,
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seven years with their mother?
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Yeah, they were
with their mother.
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You thought life was going
to be good and you were back to
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your normal life.
Normal life, that's right.
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Then what happened?
Until the mother came one day
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and she said I can't take
care of these children anymore.
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I said, what do you mean
you can't take care of them?
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She says I cannot take care of
them, I just can't do it. And so
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because I knew the mother
had her issues, I said well fine
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then they'll have to come here
and stay with me. And they did.
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They came, both of them. This
was last summer when I said oh
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I have to find some place
for these children to go because
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school was out so what am I
going to do with these children?
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This was last summer, this is
recent, okay, when you just got
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these kids in other
words. Okay, go ahead.
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So last summer at the 7th-day
Adventist School they had a
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summer program so I knew I
wanted to put them in there, the
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summer program because I wanted
them to be around other children
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and be around people that had
very positive attitudes and I
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knew this was the place for
them. I went to the school and I
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asked them and they said well
that's going to be $200 a week.
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I said $200 a week! I said well
God is able and he wants these
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children at this school and
that's where I put them for the
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summer and they had a ball. They
loved it. Grandma can we come
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come back, can we come back to
school; we want to go to school
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here. I said well God's able
and I was blessed because these
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children had been, they had been
with children that had had a lot
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of stress in their lives which
I didn't know about. At the time
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I did not know about a lot
of the things that they had gone
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through because just like a
grandparent you only see your
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children about once or twice
a month at that time, and so I
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really didn't know the type of
condition they were living under
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You don't mind sharing. When the
kids came and mom said that's it
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I can't do any more what
state were they in, emotionally,
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socially, where were they?
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They were very kind of withdrawn
but they also were very behind
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in their school work. I found
that out. I mean, my little
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granddaughter who was 10 I
said let me read to you. We were
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reading in the evening. I
said read this story. She says
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Grandmother, I can't read.
I said, you can't read! I says
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sure you can read. She says
I can't read. And I gave her a
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book and she really couldn't.
She knew no phonics. In fact
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my daughter had her tested and
she tested at the kindergarten
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level which she's in the third
grade. And that was of very much
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concern to me. I was very
concerned about that. Then I
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found out that her mother had
given them drugs. She had given
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them Benadryl to put them
to sleep at night. So that was
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kind of disturbing to me and
one reason I thought maybe this
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had helped her not to develop
and learn how to read do other
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skills that a 10-year-old
child should be able to do.
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So now you not only had
grandchildren but then they were
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both of them were special needs,
they needed certain things to
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help them. What about
the son, the grandson?
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Well he wasn't as bad as her
because I think he hadn't been
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given Benadryl as long and he
was an active little boy so he
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just rolled with the punches.
Things did not bother him.
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Things that he saw I guess
he just let it go, whereas my
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granddaughter it stayed
with her. She remembered things.
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So it was a little difficult for
her. But they loved coming to
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me. I said would you like to
be with grandma. Oh grandma can
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we stay, we want to stay
here forever and ever. They were
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really excited about living with
me. I had to learn how to change
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a room, take away things. You
know there's a certain age you
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have your house at a certain age
not child-safe as I called it.
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Right. So I had to take another
room and take all the furniture
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out and put kids furniture in
and they helped paint the room
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so they had a good time. I said
this is your room now. They said
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we have our own room. I said
this is your room, we can paint
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it any color you want to and
they were so excited. They just
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took paint and splashed it all
over and had a great time. We
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can do that? Yes you can do it
because it's your room. So they
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have really matured and as I
say I put them in the Adventist
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school and that has helped them
a lot. But grandmother had to
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learn a lot her own self. I had
to learn that grandmother didn't
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know how to do first grade
math. I said what kind of math?
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Two plus two is four and he said
but we didn't do it like that
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grandma. I said two plus two is
four. They had the circles and
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the squares and all these things
and I had to go to the teacher
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and have the teacher explain
to me how to get two plus two is
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four. From the
new math, all these
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methods and strategies.
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And the computers and
the I-pads and I-pods.
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So you bought all those things?
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I had to buy all of those things
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Now why do think you had to buy
all that? Tell me why you were
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buying those. I mean this
is kind of like over and beyond
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regular even. It was
to help them to learn
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because of this is the world.
There are computers and they
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have to learn the computers at
school, so they needed all these
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things to help them grow and
to help them develop and learn.
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So it was a challenge when I
went to the store and found out
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$400. Whoa, $400! For one and I
had to buy two. But it was truly
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a blessing, it
really was to do this.
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Thank God that you had a house
that you could fit the kids into
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What about budget wise? You
know how has that been working
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financially to be able to take
on two more kids? Do you get
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help from the state with that?
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No I don't. You don't? No I do
not get anything from the state.
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My philosophy is these are
my grandchildren. I've raised my
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own children. I have been
a single parent, I've been a
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married parent. So it didn't
bother me. I did have to make
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some adjustments because I said
ah I'm almost 70 years old. I'm
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ready to retire and everybody
says you should have been
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retired. But it has been a
challenge but God has just been
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blessing me so much and my
church family has just helped me
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so much. So it's truly been
a blessing with these children.
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Not only have they helped
me, they've come over and done
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things with the children. They
say oh I'll pick the children up
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and take them to the
park. So it's been a blessing.
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Wow. So not I hear sometimes
that you talk about taking
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vacations. Before you had
grandkids you were able to
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travel. How about since the kids
have been there? Have you been
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able to travel
anywhere or go on a vacation?
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Not like I did before. That has
definitely... Because I would
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up and get on the plane and
fly to Washington, fly all over.
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At that time I could but I can't
now, but you have to plan your
00:13:33.54\00:13:38.61
day around school time,
what time the school is out, for
00:13:38.65\00:13:44.89
vacation, the time that school
is out for spring break. So it
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has been an adjustment that you
have to learn how to adjust your
00:13:49.36\00:13:53.76
time according to
the children's schedule.
00:13:53.80\00:13:56.23
So what's a
typical day like for you?
00:13:56.26\00:13:58.63
Getting up at 4
o'clock in the morning.
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Really. Who gets up? You do?
00:14:01.10\00:14:03.61
I get up at 4
o'clock every morning.
00:14:03.64\00:14:04.97
What do you do at
four in the morning?
00:14:05.01\00:14:06.34
Washing, cooking, cleaning,
getting the children prepared.
00:14:06.37\00:14:10.85
I do everything I have to do in
the morning. The children have
00:14:10.88\00:14:16.79
to be to school at 8 o'clock.
I leave the house about 7:30 in
00:14:16.82\00:14:22.22
the morning to take them
to school. Then I take them to
00:14:22.26\00:14:27.73
school and then I go to work.
After that I pick them up from
00:14:27.76\00:14:33.44
school at 3:10 We go home.
That's why I have dinner already
00:14:33.50\00:14:38.14
prepared. I have everything
prepared because it is a
challenge for the children
00:14:38.17\00:14:42.84
to get their homework in
the evening because they were so
00:14:42.88\00:14:47.58
far behind. But the teachers
at the school, they have been so
00:14:47.62\00:14:52.29
excellent working with
me, showing me what to do,
00:14:52.32\00:14:54.46
teaching me things that might
stimulate the children to learn.
00:14:54.49\00:15:00.43
So that has really been a very
positive aspect for me. That has
00:15:00.46\00:15:06.20
really helped me
with the children.
00:15:06.23\00:15:08.50
Well that's great, that's
wonderful. Now tell me about
00:15:08.57\00:15:12.41
your support. What do you do
to take care of yourself as a
00:15:12.44\00:15:16.24
grandparent? Do
you have friends or...?
00:15:16.28\00:15:20.32
I have friends, but the best
thing for me is when I get up
00:15:20.35\00:15:24.95
early in the morning to have
time with God. That is the main
00:15:24.99\00:15:29.42
thing. He helps me. He gives me
strength, because sometimes you
00:15:29.46\00:15:34.30
feel like I have so much to do.
But he gives me strength so I
00:15:34.30\00:15:38.47
always take time the first thing
in the morning to talk to God,
00:15:38.53\00:15:42.87
to read my Bible and to prepare
and ask him for the strength I
00:15:42.90\00:15:48.44
need for that day. So that has
really helped me like I said.
00:15:48.48\00:15:53.98
Also I depend on
my church family.
00:15:54.02\00:15:58.69
How do they help. Tell me a
little bit more about how your
00:15:58.72\00:16:00.12
church family helps.
00:16:00.19\00:16:01.52
My church family has helped me
tremendously. Some have come up
00:16:01.56\00:16:05.69
to the school. I said this child
is having problems in this area.
00:16:05.73\00:16:10.07
Because a couple of them had
been school teachers. So they
00:16:10.10\00:16:14.30
said will I'll go to the school
and see, and they have been up
00:16:14.34\00:16:18.54
there and helped and have
stopped by the house. They
00:16:18.57\00:16:21.98
helped with the homework and
all. So that has been a great
00:16:22.01\00:16:26.38
benefit to me. It's really been
a blessing to me to have the
00:16:26.45\00:16:31.45
support of my church family.
They reckon helping me has been
00:16:31.49\00:16:36.49
a great help to me.
00:16:36.52\00:16:37.86
What about your job. What kind
of adjustments have you had to
00:16:37.89\00:16:40.83
make on your job?
How's it been for you there?
00:16:40.90\00:16:43.67
Talk about money. I work but I
couldn't work. I said I have to
00:16:43.73\00:16:50.57
I had to take off from work.
I usually work until at least
00:16:50.61\00:16:55.61
about 4 o'clock. I said I can't
work till 4 o'clock any more.
00:16:55.64\00:16:59.71
I told my manager. It's truly
been a blessing that God just
00:16:59.75\00:17:04.32
opened up the way because I
have to leave at 2:30 every day.
00:17:04.35\00:17:08.86
I have to leave at 2:30.
00:17:08.89\00:17:10.26
You're the person that
picks the kids too from school.
00:17:10.29\00:17:12.26
Yes so I had to leave my job.
I had to get off my job at 2:30
00:17:12.29\00:17:17.80
which used to be at four, to
pick the children up from school
00:17:17.83\00:17:23.20
which has cut into my finances.
That's right because I don't
00:17:23.24\00:17:29.31
have the time working as much as
I had worked. But God still has
00:17:29.34\00:17:34.22
provided for me. I just grateful
that he has truly. I don't know
00:17:34.25\00:17:39.62
where it comes from but every
day, every month we... In fact
00:17:39.65\00:17:44.36
someone said you should go an
get you some food stamps. You're
00:17:44.39\00:17:48.83
eligible. I said really. Since
you have these children you
00:17:48.86\00:17:53.10
should get you some help. I said
I do have help. God helps me
00:17:53.17\00:17:58.14
every day. Wow! So this is
just truly a blessing that God
00:17:58.17\00:18:03.21
truly has helped me. He has
given me. The kids wear uniforms
00:18:03.24\00:18:08.18
and people have given me
uniforms for the children to
00:18:08.22\00:18:11.75
wear to school. So it's truly a
blessing when you depend on God.
00:18:11.79\00:18:16.26
That's right, that's right.
So tell me some special memories
00:18:16.32\00:18:20.43
now that the kids are with
you what are some special things
00:18:20.46\00:18:24.07
that you guys have done, just
you and the grandkids, just this
00:18:24.10\00:18:27.44
set of grandkids? And then how
do you now manage with the rest
00:18:27.47\00:18:30.71
of your other 10 grandkids?
00:18:30.74\00:18:32.84
Yes, well this past summer
I told the children how to
00:18:32.87\00:18:41.15
plant in the yard. They were
eating a cantaloupe. Look at all
00:18:41.18\00:18:45.19
these seeds in this cantaloupe.
What do you think we're going
00:18:45.22\00:18:49.32
to do with these seeds. Throw
them away? I said no let's go
00:18:49.36\00:18:54.10
outside and throw in the garden
and see if they grow. We dug up
00:18:54.10\00:18:58.53
the yard and they dug it up and
they planted the watermelon seed
00:18:58.57\00:19:03.04
they planted
watermelon seed just from the
00:19:03.54\00:19:04.87
watermelons we were eating. They
planted cantaloupe and I got
00:19:05.41\00:19:09.68
some tomato plants and we
planted upside down because I'd
00:19:09.71\00:19:13.11
never planted upside down
tomatoes. So we put them in the
00:19:13.15\00:19:16.48
pot and we planted. They were so
many. Every day they ran outside
00:19:16.52\00:19:21.06
to see. I said go outside and
see the watermelons, go outside.
00:19:21.09\00:19:25.59
And when they came us they
couldn't believe it. The said
00:19:25.63\00:19:27.86
there they are, look I see them
I see them. They were so excited
00:19:27.93\00:19:31.63
So they started to growing?
They started growing and every
00:19:31.67\00:19:36.81
day they ran out there. It's
getting bigger, I see another
00:19:36.91\00:19:41.91
I see another one. And that was
very exciting to them. They were
00:19:41.98\00:19:46.08
really excited. And I said well
I think they're ready now. Let's
00:19:46.11\00:19:49.58
go out there and pick them. And
we brought them in and washed
00:19:49.62\00:19:53.49
them and they just could not
believe that this was something
00:19:53.56\00:19:57.23
they had done. They had planted
the seeds and they had grown.
00:19:57.33\00:20:00.50
So they just can't wait till
this summer. Well what else are
00:20:00.53\00:20:03.26
are we going to plant. We can
plant some other things. But I
00:20:03.33\00:20:06.07
have to go and get the
man to till the ground now.
00:20:06.10\00:20:08.94
You've got a whole big
garden in the back yard.
00:20:09.00\00:20:11.77
They really enjoyed that. And to
make things, you know. They make
00:20:11.81\00:20:16.38
things. They take things that
are nothing. The lady next door
00:20:16.41\00:20:20.78
bought a refrigerator and it
came in this big box. They said
00:20:20.88\00:20:24.89
can I have your box? And she
says oh sure. And we got the box
00:20:24.92\00:20:28.86
and so we made a house out of
the box and they painted it and
00:20:28.89\00:20:33.46
they. I just enjoy it. It makes
me feel, they make me feel young
00:20:33.50\00:20:38.03
I like to sit down just
to see them happy. The other
00:20:38.07\00:20:45.17
grandchildren, all my
grandchildren except one
00:20:45.21\00:20:49.34
grandchild, another about 17
year old lives in Memphis. The
00:20:49.38\00:20:55.45
other children are scattered all
over the place. But I do once a
00:20:55.48\00:20:58.99
year, I've been doing this ever
since they were born, I take
00:20:59.02\00:21:02.56
them on a trip.
What! All your grandkids!?
00:21:02.59\00:21:04.99
All my grandchildren.
You take them all!?
00:21:05.03\00:21:07.40
All of them. Just me and my
grandchildren. The parents stay
00:21:07.40\00:21:11.90
home. I have a whole week. I've
been doing it ever since they
00:21:11.93\00:21:16.91
were born. I take them on a trip
every year. We go somewhere.
00:21:16.97\00:21:22.11
Last year we've been to the
eastern shore. You've been to
00:21:22.14\00:21:26.45
the eastern shore. I rented a
cabin right there on the water
00:21:26.48\00:21:31.29
and we stayed the whole week.
They had a ball. So that's what
00:21:31.32\00:21:35.69
I like doing. That's what I
do with all my grandchildren.
00:21:35.72\00:21:40.06
So where are you
guys going this year?
00:21:40.10\00:21:42.10
Well we're going to St. Louis.
I rent this 12-passenger van.
00:21:42.13\00:21:48.74
I used to just get a van but now
it's a 12 passenger. It might
00:21:48.77\00:21:55.34
be a 16-passenger.
00:21:55.38\00:21:56.71
Yeah because you have to
drive and there's 12 of them.
00:21:56.78\00:21:58.48
No one comes with you!? No one.
Seriously, just you? Just me.
00:21:58.51\00:22:03.69
And you're almost 70 and
God gives you all this energy?
00:22:03.72\00:22:07.16
That's right. And I rent the van
and this year I'll be going to
00:22:07.19\00:22:11.96
St. Louis, then we're going down
the eastern coast. We wanted
00:22:11.99\00:22:15.70
North Carolina, South Carolina
and we're just going to just
00:22:15.73\00:22:19.27
drive all around and take in
some... Because during the year
00:22:19.30\00:22:22.94
the older ones look up and see
what they'd like to see in these
00:22:22.97\00:22:27.14
different states. So we hit all
these states and find out what
00:22:27.18\00:22:31.31
they wanted to see so we're
going to have a journey this
00:22:31.35\00:22:34.65
time. We'll have two weeks this
year. So we're going to have a
00:22:34.72\00:22:37.79
very, I think a very good time.
00:22:37.82\00:22:40.22
I think so too.
They're older now. The little
00:22:40.26\00:22:43.49
ones are older so they can enjoy
the traveling more and learning
00:22:43.53\00:22:49.03
more. So what's
the age difference,
00:22:49.06\00:22:51.87
what's the ages of the oldest
grandchild and the youngest?
00:22:51.90\00:22:54.44
My oldest grandchild will
be 18, in fact he'll be 18.
00:22:54.47\00:22:59.07
So he can help drive.
00:22:59.11\00:23:00.51
He hasn't got his drivers
license although he really wants
00:23:00.58\00:23:04.05
That's something he really wants
and I said you know insurance is
00:23:04.08\00:23:07.12
is really high for a
male. He says but I really want
00:23:07.15\00:23:12.42
to drive. So I don't know if
his parents are thinking about
00:23:12.45\00:23:15.89
getting. His grades are great
so they are thinking about it.
00:23:15.92\00:23:19.33
But yes, 18 to 8 years
old. The youngest is 8.
00:23:19.36\00:23:25.17
Wow. And do they all get along?
Yeah, how do the grandkids get
00:23:25.23\00:23:28.87
along and especially the ones
that are with you now? How do
00:23:28.90\00:23:32.51
the other grandkids, how
are they feeling about that?
00:23:32.54\00:23:35.54
They get along great. They get
along great and they're happy
00:23:35.58\00:23:40.08
because I can talk to them and
we talk on the phone and we tell
00:23:40.12\00:23:44.15
them well grandmother did that
with me. That's nothing new, she
00:23:44.19\00:23:48.19
did that when I was eight.
So they can relate to it and
00:23:48.22\00:23:54.60
they're not jealous or anything.
Because I really love children.
00:23:54.63\00:23:59.57
I really love children. Children
don't bother me. You know some
00:23:59.63\00:24:03.61
people say how can you have all
these children, how can you have
00:24:03.64\00:24:07.48
these grandchildren. They'll
drive you crazy. They're going
00:24:07.51\00:24:10.95
to ask millions of questions.
I say, I love it, I really do.
00:24:10.98\00:24:15.48
That is awesome. So when you
travel what do you do? How do
00:24:15.52\00:24:19.22
you afford to be able to feed
everybody, you know how does
00:24:19.25\00:24:22.92
that work out? Well
I do like my parents _.
00:24:22.96\00:24:26.56
Because my parents took us
everywhere. They wanted us to
00:24:26.63\00:24:29.96
be exposed to different cultures
and different places and all. So
00:24:30.03\00:24:34.57
I have a great big ice chest,
two of them, ice chests and as
00:24:34.60\00:24:38.51
we travel we stop at the grocery
store. We buy food and sometimes
00:24:38.54\00:24:42.48
along the way we barbecue. We
put the food in, we get to the
00:24:42.51\00:24:46.82
park and we set up everything.
They love it. And I say oh this
00:24:46.88\00:24:54.89
is what we're going to do. So
cost wise once a day you get a
00:24:54.92\00:25:01.43
meal at a restaurant. That means
we eat breakfast cereal, nuts
00:25:01.46\00:25:07.90
and grains. So
once a day you eat at a
00:25:07.94\00:25:11.61
restaurant? Once a day. The
whole group? The whole group.
00:25:11.64\00:25:14.91
After that you do sandwiches.
You've got double coolers and
00:25:14.94\00:25:18.81
treats and everybody's having
a good time. Singing, do you?
00:25:18.85\00:25:22.65
You know, traveling and talking?
00:25:22.68\00:25:24.02
And now that they got older.
This one's got this I-pad, this
00:25:24.09\00:25:27.69
one has this and they look at
movies and they just have a ball
00:25:27.72\00:25:31.26
but most of the time I do not
let them look (at movies). I say
00:25:31.29\00:25:34.73
look at the scenery. This
is where we're going. And they
00:25:34.76\00:25:38.20
enjoy it, they really do.
00:25:38.23\00:25:39.57
Wow, Sister Robinson! You
are an amazing, amazing woman.
00:25:39.60\00:25:45.01
But I enjoy it. Because no day
is the same and that's what I
00:25:45.04\00:25:49.34
like about it. You go to a
job and do the same thing. But
00:25:49.38\00:25:53.78
raising children is never the
same. And that's what I really
00:25:53.82\00:25:57.45
truly enjoy. I don't know
when I wake up in the morning, I
00:25:57.55\00:26:01.12
don't know what that day's
going to hold for me. Sometimes
00:26:01.16\00:26:04.99
it holds wonders and sometimes
my grandson says Grandmother
00:26:05.03\00:26:09.06
I want to go to school. I
say today is Sunday, no school
00:26:09.10\00:26:12.90
on Sunday. But I'm just glad
that they're really enjoying
00:26:12.97\00:26:17.44
school and they're learning.
And the environment; they're
00:26:17.51\00:26:21.91
really enjoying that.
00:26:21.94\00:26:23.28
What advice could you give to a
grandparent or another relative
00:26:23.35\00:26:28.38
that's taking on children in
their home? What could you share
00:26:28.45\00:26:32.42
with them as far as what they
could expect or how to do it?
00:26:32.45\00:26:37.79
Well the first thing is just
take one day at a time. Listen
00:26:37.83\00:26:42.73
to the child, find out what
the child's needs are and try to
00:26:42.76\00:26:47.20
incorporate that into that day.
Some children they feel bad.
00:26:47.24\00:26:51.57
Children are just like us,
human being. They're just little
00:26:51.61\00:26:55.74
people. They have bad days, they
have good days, they have days
00:26:55.78\00:27:00.58
they don't feel like doing, just
like we. So to just give them
00:27:00.65\00:27:05.35
love. Whatever state they
are in that they know that I am
00:27:05.39\00:27:09.52
loved, I'm appreciated, I am
wanted. And I think that is the
00:27:09.56\00:27:14.36
main thing with raising children
that they will feel safe and
00:27:14.40\00:27:19.10
they'll feel cared about and
they want to feel that somebody
00:27:19.13\00:27:23.71
cares for them just like they
are. They might be different.
00:27:23.81\00:27:28.41
Just like my grandkids were so
far behind at school. She just
00:27:28.44\00:27:33.05
felt so bad that she could not
read but to encourage them you
00:27:33.08\00:27:36.79
know and to love them and say
I don't care if you can't read.
00:27:36.82\00:27:40.86
I love you just the way you are.
And you will learn how to read.
00:27:40.89\00:27:45.06
So give them just encouragement.
I think that's the main thing.
00:27:45.09\00:27:49.13
Thank you so much for coming and
sharing your story today, Sister
00:27:49.20\00:27:53.23
Robinson. It has just
been wonderful to hear all the
00:27:53.30\00:27:56.44
details about what's been
involved in taking on grandkids.
00:27:56.47\00:27:59.81
And for those of you at home we
thank you so much for watching
00:27:59.84\00:28:02.78
the program today. We hope
that it's been a real blessing.
00:28:02.81\00:28:06.18
Clearly, you know, her life has
been enriched as a result and
00:28:06.21\00:28:09.32
we know that yours will be the
same. With God all things are
00:28:09.35\00:28:12.42
possible. Have a blessed day.
00:28:12.45\00:28:14.19