Grandparent Facts for Kids

A grandson with his grandparents

A grandparent is the parent of your father or mother. Grandparents have always been important members of a family. The job of a parent is often very different from the job of a grandparent. Parents usually provide for their children and teach them rules. Grandparents are often much freer to enjoy and have fun with their grandchildren. The relationship between a grandparent and grandchild is usually simpler than that of a parent and child.

The word 'grandparent' is used for both male and female people. A male grandparent is called a grandfather. A female grandparent is a grandmother. When you look at the relationship from the grandparent's side, the term grandchild is used. A grandchild is the child of a person's child. 'Grandchild' is correct for either gender. A grandson is male. A granddaughter is female.

Grandparents and Grandchildren
Great-Grandparents
Family Connections
Related Pages
Images for kids
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Grandparents and Grandchildren

For example: Bob has a son named Rick. Rick has two children: a boy (Bill) and a girl (Mary). Bob is the grandfather (male grandparent) of both Bill and Mary. Bill is Bob's grandson (male grandchild), and Mary is Bob's granddaughter (female grandchild). Rick's mother would be the grandmother (female grandparent) of both Mary and Bill.

There are many nicknames for grandparents. For a grandfather, people might say 'grandpa', 'grandpapa', 'papa', or 'pawpa'. Nicknames for grandmothers include 'grandma', 'grammy', 'granny', and 'nanna'. There are also many unique nicknames. For example, American actress Goldie Hawn didn't want to be called 'grandma'. Instead, she came up with the nickname 'Glamma'.

Traditionally, grandparents were highly respected in most cultures. Today, many grandparent-grandchild relationships are changing. Some parts of the modern world do not value older people as much as societies did in the past. Also, popular entertainment, like TV shows and movies for 'tweens' (children 10 to 12 years old), sometimes show adults as being foolish. This makes the involvement of grandparents more important than ever. They can offer wisdom and a different perspective.

Great-Grandparents

A family tree showing five generations of ancestors, including great-grandparents.

A person's great-grandparent's parents would be that person's "great-great-grandparents". Usually, the prefix great- is added for each extra generation. For example, a "great-great-grandfather" can also be called a "second great-grandfather". A "great-great-great-grandfather" would be a "third great-grandfather", and so on.

Not counting yourself, your parents are the first generation of your ancestors. Your grandparents are the second generation. Your great-grandparents are the third generation. So, a great-great grandparent would be in the fourth generation of ancestors. Another way to think about it is that your second great-grandparent is your grandparent's grandparent.

In the past, many great-grandparents died long before their great-grandchildren were born. Today, people in many societies are living longer. This means many children get to know at least one of their great-grandparents.

Family Connections

The word 'family' can mean different things. It can mean your immediate family, like your parents and siblings. But it also includes your close kin, such as your grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Grandparents play a special role in connecting different generations of a family.