Give Grandma and Grandpa a Kiss for National Grandparents Day, Sept. 8

By Charlotte Eriksen

What have your grandparents taught you?

My grandpa taught me how to fish (he tried to, at least)—and, actually, how to use shortcuts on Microsoft Word. My grandma taught me to paint, love art, and crave adventure.

National Grandparents Day is this Sunday, Sept. 8, honoring our grandmas and grandpas everywhere.

In 1970, Marian McQuade initiated a campaign to establish a day to honor grandparents, according to the United States Census Bureau. In 1978, President Jimmy Carter signed a federal proclamation, declaring the first Sunday after Labor Day as National Grandparents Day.

This day has been celebrated every year since in honor of our nation's grandparents.

Here are a few stats and facts about grandparents in the U.S. from the Census Bureau:

It's official

The forget-me-not was named the official flower of National Grandparents Day by the National Grandparents Day Council.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011 County Business Patterns

A serenade

"A Song for Grandma and Grandpa" was named the official song of National Grandparents Day in 2004 by the National Grandparents Day Council.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011 American Community Survey

Grandparents as Caregivers

7 million

The number of grandparents whose grandchildren under age 18 were living with them in 2011. 

2.7 million

The number of grandparents responsible for the basic needs of one or more grandchildren under age 18 living with them in 2011. Of these caregivers, 1.7 million were grandmothers and 1.0 million were grandfathers.

594,000

The number of grandparents responsible for grandchildren under age 18 and whose income was below the poverty level in the past 12 months compared with the 2.1 million grandparent caregivers whose income was at or above the poverty level.

$45,526

Median income for families with grandparent householders responsible for grandchildren under age 18. Among these families, where a parent of the grandchildren was not present, the median income was $33,627.

1.7 million

The number of grandparents in the labor force responsible for own grandchildren under age 18. Among them, 338,000 were 60 years or older.

657,000

The number of grandparents who had a disability and were responsible for their grandchildren. 

505,000

The number of foreign-born grandparents responsible for their own grandchildren under age 18. This contrasts with 2.2 million native-born grandparent caregivers.

2.1 million

The number of grandparents responsible for their grandchildren, who speak only English. Another 255,000 speak another language, but speak English "very well"; 414,000 speak another language and speak English less than "very well."

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011 American Community Survey