Rightio. We’re momentarily rebranding as The Grand-Parenthood. This is for every grandparent - or grandparent to be - around Australia who saw themselves in the Good Weekend feature by Jenna Price.
Are you a grandparent watching your adult children struggling to stay afloat, let alone get ahead, because they can’t afford or access early education and care for your grandchildren? Are you part of the “grandparent army” stepping in as the regular provider of care for your grandchildren so their parents can go to work?
Have you provided regular care for your first grandchild and there are now three more on the way and you know you can't be split four ways? If any of this speaks to you - you need to join The Parenthood. Your voice matters and we'll help ensure it’s heard.
The role that grandparents can play in the lives of grandchildren is marvellous. But the reliance on grandparents as critical infrastructure to fill the gap so that parents can reasonably attempt to combine paid work with their family responsibilities is absurd.
In Australia the perverse reality too many parents face right now is that they cannot "afford" to work because the cost of early education and care is too high. What do you get when a cost of working crisis meets a cost of living crisis? A crises that would be laughable if it weren’t so bleak.
Against that backdrop, having grandparents who are willing and able to provide regular care for free so that parents can attempt to make ends meet - let alone get ahead - is a blessing but it's also an absolute luxury. Having grandparents who are physically able and willing to step in isn't realistic for most families with young children.
That's one of many reasons The Parenthood is campaigning for totally affordable quality early childhood education and care that's delivered by a professionally qualified and paid workforce.
It's critical infrastructure - it's the roads and bridges parents of young children need to be able to move between home and work. It is something every parent ought to be entitled to access as and when it's needed.
In October of 2023 Essential conducted a national poll on behalf of The Parenthood of 1200 parents with children under 6 and more than 80% said a household needs two incomes to meet the cost of living.
If you’re a grandparent, you know this and that's why we're calling on you to join The Parenthood. And let me be really clear: your donations are welcome. Even half a day’s worth of daycare fees from every grandparent who sees this problem would help turbo charge our attempts to achieve reform. Donate here!
You, your children and your grandchildren deserve this.
Georgie
