Childcare in four-generation families in the Czech Republic: two case studies
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2025 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Families, Relationships and Societies |
| Citation | |
| web | https://bristoluniversitypressdigital.com/view/journals/frs/aop/article-10.1332-20467435Y2025D000000077/article-10.1332-20467435Y2025D000000077.xml |
| Doi | https://doi.org/10.1332/20467435Y2025D000000077 |
| Keywords | childcare; four-generation families; great-grandparents; intergenerational solidarity; negotiated responsibilities |
| Attached files | |
| Description | This study examines how two Czech four-generation families organize childcare as a multigenerational family system. Using a qualitative multiple-case design, I conducted six semi-structured interviews with women across three caregiving generations (G1–G3) and two intra-family focus groups. Interpreted through lenses of intergenerational solidarity and negotiated family responsibilities, the cases show parents providing day-to-day care, grandparents supplying practical help and emotional support, and great-grandparents contributing chiefly through presence, storytelling, rituals, and occasional practical assistance. Arrangements were contingent rather than uniform, shifting with illness, work schedules, school timetables, and proximity; distinguishing between practical tasks and relational time helps explain how families redistribute tasks while maintaining regular intergenerational contact. Limitations include a two-case design, a women-only sample, and retrospective accounts; men’s and children’s voices were not directly collected. Findings highlight the often overlooked role of great-grandparents in childcare within a post-socialist context and suggest that support for families should recognise multigenerational coordination of care. |
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