The Hardships and Joys of Grandparents Raising Grandkids There are nearly three million grandparents raising eight million grandchildren in the U.S. In North Carolina, nearly 200,000 children live with nearly 100,000 grandparents. That has a cost in terms of time, money and health.The opioid crisis has taken the brunt of the blame as many addicted parents simply can’t, won’t or are prohibited from raising their kids. However, military deployments, sudden parent deaths, and incarceration can all contribute. The implications are many. When a grandparent steps in, they are laser-focused on their new responsibilities and often neglect their own health. Many of...

read more