Parenting

Parenting a grandchild comes with unique challenges. Whether you’re stepping in due to a parent’s absence, co-parenting with your adult child, or caring for a grandchild coming out of foster care, the transition into this role can be emotionally and logistically complex.

Understanding Your Role

Becoming a parent again—especially when it wasn’t your choice—is a responsibility few expect to take on. You may be replacing a parent, sharing responsibilities, or providing stability after trauma. This section of our website is here to help guide you through the journey of raising a grandchild with compassion, clarity, and confidence.

Topics We Cover

• Explaining Parental Absence
  Learn how to talk to your grandchildren about why their parents aren’t present. Experts recommend being honest, age-appropriate, and reassuring. Emphasize that the absence is not their fault and avoid speaking negatively about the parent.
• Helping Children Cope with Abandonment
  Children may feel rejected or confused. We offer tools to help you support them emotionally—such as expressing pain instead of anger, building trust, and encouraging self-worth.
• Legal and Kinship Support in Colorado
  Colorado offers resources for kinship caregivers, including legal guidance, financial assistance, and adoption support. Programs like the Kinnected Navigator and Kinship Adoption Project provide help with court processes and access to services.

You’re Not Alone

There is a growing community of grandparents and kin caregivers across Colorado. Support groups, legal aid, and kinship navigation programs are available to help you connect, learn, and thrive.

Have a Question or Suggestion?

If there’s a topic you’d like to see covered, we welcome your input. Contact Us to share your questions or suggest topics for future updates.