| Did you know that today in Ontario, Canada there | | | | grandchild. |
| are over 65,000 kinship caregivers who are mainly | | | | Financially, it is very difficult. Many are living on limited |
| Grandparents? This is a fact. These statistics are | | | | incomes. Most have used all of their savings either for |
| rising to alarming amounts every year. Kinship | | | | Court hearings, appeals, cost of living, clothing, and |
| caregivers are relatives who have chosen to take on | | | | providing for their child. Some have even lost their |
| the role of a parent to a child who is left without a | | | | homes. Our government does very little to help. If |
| parent for various reasons, which I shall explain later. | | | | one lives in certain districts of Ontario, she may be |
| Caregivers are usually Grandparents, aunts, uncles, | | | | eligible to receive a small payment of $231 each |
| sometimes brothers or sisters or other extended | | | | month for the child. Have you tried to live on this for |
| family members. Of the caregivers it is mainly the | | | | a month? Not an easy task, but many are doing it |
| grandmother raising a grandchild. Many of these | | | | every day. On the other hand, if a Foster care |
| women have chosen to take on this extraordinary | | | | mother has one child placed in her home by Child |
| role because they have the childs best interest at | | | | Services, she receives $900 a month; plus, a clothing |
| heart and, therefore, do not want to have this child | | | | allowance, entertainment allowance and a furniture |
| go into the foster care system connected to | | | | allowance. Is this fair? Certainly not. Many |
| Childrens Aid Society either as a Ward or as an | | | | grandmothers are doing this alone. Many have health |
| adoptee. You might be asking yourself how is this | | | | problems, no cars, and barely any outside support. |
| possible? | | | | She most likely has few friends because the ones |
| A biological child is a child of the grandparent. The bio, | | | | she did have, no longer have anything in common |
| as we call them, have children. The bio may have a | | | | with her now and do not want to be around children. |
| substance abuse problem that does not enable them | | | | Such is the life of a Grandmother today. |
| to be responsible parents. Some bios have mental | | | | As a grandmother myself, I am raising my |
| handicaps. Others are going or have gone through | | | | grand-daughter. I have had her since she was born 9 |
| divorces. Some have even died. Others are | | | | years ago. To this day, we have had no contact |
| incarcerated or have suffered traumas. All of these | | | | from her mother. The Court gave me full custody of |
| reasons, and many, many more leave children | | | | her child because she was not involved as a parent. |
| without homes, parents, love and nurturing. Usually | | | | She abandoned her child. There are many others who |
| Child Services is involved and they take the child or | | | | are in the exact position as I am. But we would not |
| children into care. This is when the grandparents | | | | change this for the world because we love our |
| come into the picture. A grandmother will appeal to | | | | children and we want to see them become |
| the Court to have her grandchild released in her care. | | | | productive, healthy, happy citizens who we hope will |
| Sometimes this is granted, sometimes not. When the | | | | have a normal life. Yes, we raised our children. And |
| child is allowed to live with his grandmother, there is | | | | we choose to raise THEIR children. None of us do it |
| safety, food, shelter and unconditional love. Most of | | | | for the glory, the recognition, or the praise. No! We |
| all, this special child will thrive. The road for Grandma | | | | do it because every child deserves to be loved |
| is not an easy one for as long as she is raising her | | | | unconditionally. |