Grandparents save families $2.3bn a year in childcare

Time-poor parents are becoming so reliant on their own mum and dad for babysitting they are even taking them along on family holidays.

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Time-poor parents are becoming so reliant on their own mum and dad for babysitting they are even taking them along on family holidays.

One in three Australian families have taken a family member on ­holidays with them so tired parents can unwind peacefully, according to a new survey by comparison website finder.com.

Chris Lewis says its a ‘privilege’ to look after her granddaughter Lucy once a week. Picture: Richard Dobson

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The findings back research that found grandparents are making huge contributions to their grown-up children’s families.

An earlier finder.com report said grandparents are saving families $2.29 billion a year in childcare costs.

University of Melbourne sociology researcher Dr Brendan Churchill said seniors who care for grandkids are crucial to the economy.

“They are hugely important to making families work,” he told The Saturday Telegraph.

“The cost of childcare is so high that for some young women not having a grandmother to look after the kids can mean they cannot go back to work.

“We desperately need more women in the workforce and without grandparents that cannot happen. It’s become really hard for parents to raise kids on their own.

“It’s this form of invisible labour … grandmothers don’t just look after the kids, they’ll also put a load of washing on while they are there.”

The average cost of childcare in Australia went up from $74.20 per week in 2011 to $110.50 per week in 2017, Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows.

More than 22 per cent of families relied solely on grandparents for childcare in 2017 and nearly 10 per cent used a combination of formal day care and grandparents’ care.

Grandmother Julia Lattacher looks after her 3-year-old granddaughter Penelope during holidays. Picture: Liam Driver

Dr Churchill said it was not fair to say young couples were relying too heavily on their parents to chip in.

“Young families are hopeful and slightly desperate,” he said.

“There is a societal expectation that one generation will help the next. It is the best and least stressful solution to childcare and it’s desperately needed.”

However, some grandparents are torn between enjoying their retirement and helping their children.

“They’ve raised their own kids and now it’s this second round of parenting they have to do.”

However the choice is easy for grandmothers such as Chris Lewis, who cares for her granddaughter Lucy Walsh every Tuesday.

The doting grandmother even accompanied her family to New Zealand to look after Lucy during the holiday.

“We offered to look after the baby when my daughter Sophie was pregnant, knowing she would have to go back to work to pay for the mortgage on their apartment,” Mrs Lewis said.

“I see it as a privilege.”

Julia Lattacher, who looks after granddaughter Penelope, 3, during school holidays, has similar feelings.

“I love spending time with her. It’s a special bond between grandparent and grandchild — and we don’t charge for babysitting services,” she said.

Relationships Australia therapist Matt Garrett said grandparents were a huge resource for working families, by providing care and nurture for children.

“More often than not grandparents also help out financially … we underestimate the very powerful bonds that occur in the family.”

But the role could be stressful for grandparents, especially if they felt under pressure to take part, he said.