Spoiling the grandkids; what else are grandparents for? Though that question is usually asked rhetorically, most grandparents surveyed by AARP answered "not much."
In a report released at the end of March, 36% of grandparents said it was their job to spoil their grandkids by "buying too much," and 26% said it was their job to give treats and special gifts. (It should be noted that 31% of grumpy grandparents said neither they nor their children should spoil the grandkids by buying too much.)
For the report, "Insights and Spending Habits of Modern Grandparents," AARP surveyed more than 1,900 grandparents who were 50 or older between August and October 2011.
While the grandparents surveyed seemed eager to take on fun duties, they largely agreed that many of the tasks mentioned in the survey were the shared responsibility of grandparents and parents. While just 3% said teaching values was a role for grandparents, 80% agreed that both parents and grandparents must be involved. Four percent of grandparents said it was their job to teach their grandkids about religion or spirituality, but 67% said it was a shared duty.
