 |
Viewpoint Perspectives from the CYC field |
Follow @CYCareworkers |
  
Translate this page |
|
|
Viewpoint Perspectives from the CYC field |
Follow @CYCareworkers |
Translate this page |
IRELAND
‘Hard work ahead’ for grandparents as families will need more childcare help
NEXT-generation grandparents could be run off their feet juggling work with childcare, according to a report out today.
Even great-grandparents could be helping out with looking after children in 25 years' time, the report by holiday company Butlins said.
By 2037, more fathers will doing housework as an increasing number of mothers go out to work.
The report said that in 25 years' time there would be a "need breed" of grandparents who not only held down a job but looked after grandchildren and lent emotional support to their own children.
More than two in five (44%) grandparents would be run off their feet by 2037, while 16% of parents will expect their grandparents to help look after their children.
A poll of 2,200 people by Butlins showed that 35% of fathers currently shun housework while 16% did little or no childcare. But by 2037, 60% of fathers were expected to do chores around the house while 40% helped look after youngsters.
Of the children surveyed, 36% would consider setting up home somewhere new in 25 years, with around a fifth of this number moving abroad.
By 2037, households could be taking up to five family holidays a year. Consumer spending on leisure and holidays is likely to increase by 83%.
In 25 years' time, "relation vacations" involving up to 14 family members spanning as much as 100 years could be commonplace, the report said.
Peter Woodman
19 June 2012