ABSTRACT
This chapter analyzes the socioeconomic and cultural contexts of grandparenting within Brazilian society. It examines the main variables that describe relationships between grandparents, parents, and sons/daughters. The chapter focuses on those grandparents who raise their grandchildren. Grandparenthood in Brazil is a very complex reality because of their country's heterogeneous ecologies, regionally based cultural differences, and diversity as related to social class and gender. Grandparents often take the initiative to raise grandchildren, as they are committed to the well-being of their family members. Many full-time caregiver grandparents report higher levels of stress and tiredness from raising their grandchildren. Teenage pregnancy is a significant concern for Brazilian parents and professionals. Urban grandmothers in Brasilia criticized their granddaughters for early pregnancy, and sometimes advised them to have an abortion, they supported and approved of the mothering skills of their granddaughters. Parental separation and divorce are additional reasons for Brazilian grandparents to take responsibility for raising grandchildren.
