Research On The Current Conditions And Countermeasures Of Grandparents' Upbringing Of 0-3-year-old Children

The grandparents' upbringing of 0-3-year-old children is a major form of familyeducation. During recent years, this issue has received social attention, but there has beenlittle research related to it. This paper inquires after the current conditions of grandparents'upbringing of 0-3-year-old children. The research is based on 132 grandparents as subjectswho are raising their grandchildren with variances in economic and cultural background inJinlin province(Changchun and Baicheng cities).Qualitative and quantitative methods areapplied and previous research studies used. It also includes an analysis of commonproblems and puts forward some suggestions for improving the quality of care by thegrandparents.The main research findings are as follows:I. In the area of feeding 0-3-year-old children, grandparents lack knowledge aboutnutrition, added nutritional assistance, ablactation, and composing a balanced meal. There isalso the common phenomenon of spoiling grandchildren.II. In the area of educating 0-3-year-old grandchildren, grandparents have problems suchas high expectations of grandchildren, inadequate knowledge of the function of familyeducation in early childhood development, lack of attention to normal behaviors and habits of0-3-year-old children, inability to monitor child psychological health, to utilize education thrudaily life, and to develop the children's intelligence thru playing.The research suggests that there are four main reasons that cause these problems: theinfluence of the familistic value orientation, an unreasonable social employment system,exaggerated propaganda of mass media, and the limited resources of higher education.Based on the above problems, suggestions are as follows: develop grandparent educationprograms, use kindergarten advantages to offer free consultations and lectures forgrandparents, organize grandparents committee in the center of five kinds of aged people (theold cadres, teachers, soldiers, experts, exemplars, who will retire or have retired ), establishunited lines of parents and grandparents in family education to make up for theirdisadvantages and increase their advantages, and reinforce the appropriate orientation to themass media on the aspects of 0-3-year-old children being raised by grandparents. These areall ways in which we can improve the quality of care given by grandparents to 0-3-year-oldgrandchildren.