Introduction
Intergenerational Relationships in Today's Families
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Since the beginning of the family, connections between generations have been one of the most important social bonds in all societies. For centuries, in most cultures, the family was defined by "blood relatives" and their several conjugal units of husband/wife/children. Over time, norms and patterns have evolved in various cultures for intergenerational living arrangements, obligations, support, inheritance, and relationships.
Today, in addition to the traditional conjugal unit, families exist in many different forms such as single parent, grandparent-grandchild, childless, same-sex couples and step and blended families. Families differ also in their housing and living patterns. These changes call for new definitions and new ways to work out satisfying and workable intergenerational bonds. This issue includes an array of excellent articles that explore relationships between the generations in today's families.
The introductory article by Tim and Ellie Brubaker presents "The Four Rs" of respect, responsibility, reciprocity and resilience that are relevant to all forms of families and to persons who work with older people and their families. These qualities can be foundations for strengthening intergenerational bonds and can undergird professional practice. Barbara Ames explores implications of marital satisfaction, divorce, and co-residence patterns on life course parenting and delineates major themes that characterize parent-child relationships over the life course. Elizabeth Seagull presents a value-driven framework based on the core values of respect and honesty, key tools, and practical suggestions for helping two adult generations develop new ways of relating when children "come home again."
The growing phenomenon of grandparents raising grandchildren is explored in two articles. Linda Dannison and Andrea Smith use an ecological approach and present generic concepts that apply to programming for all custodial grandparents, regardless of the reasons for taking on the caregiving role. Mary Jane Van Meter and Barbara Hirshorn describe an educational program for grandparents who are raising the children of the grandparent's drug addicted children. The key concept of developing "self management" can also apply to other grandparenting situations. Katia Goldfarb describes a service-learning project aimed at promoting intergenerational and cross-cultural relations and understanding. Principles and teaching-learning experiences and techniques also can be used also in other intergenerational relationships courses.
As this overview indicates, the articles present basic principles, concepts or values that have "stood the test of time" and can continue to undergird intergenerational relationships in today's families. They are grounded in research, theory or professional practice and will be useful for a variety of practitioners as well as for family members.
In this issue of MFR, we are introducing a new section, Program Resources for Family Members, Educators and Other Professionals, that can be used in a variety of teaching and learning experiences. We are pleased to initiate the section with descriptions of materials developed by and available from the Extension Services of, respectively, the University of Minnesota and Michigan State University. In "Who Gets Grandma's Yellow Pie Plate?" Shirley Barber describes an award-winning program to help family members make informed decisions about transferring non-titled personal property such as collections, photo albums, or other cherished objects. "Tools You Can Use to Build Strong and Healthy Families" provides information about how to obtain materials for personal self-study or for professional use to help families succeed with many of their major responsibilities. Reviews of several timely books related to the theme round out the content of the journal. We invite you to submit information about program resources and book reviews for future issues.
We dedicate this issue to the memory of Dr. Elizabeth Olson a member of the Editorial Review Board of Michigan Family Review since its inauguration in 1995. Elizabeth was Associate Director for Education in the Institute of Gerontology at Wayne State University and devoted her professional life to improving the well being of our elders. She was especially helpful in bringing this issue into being. Elizabeth died in 1998. We will miss her sensitivity, intelligence and wit.
Beginning with the next issue of MFR, Anne Soderman of Michigan State University will join Libby Balter Blume as coeditor. Thanks to all who have submitted articles, reviews and made other contributions. Thanks also to the University of Detroit-Mercy and Michigan State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Institute for Children, Youth and Families whose financial support have helped make possible publication of the journal.
