At MMM, we believe the EU must embrace an intergenerational approach to work-life balance and childcare. And grandparents play a vital role in a child’s development and education. They offer emotional support, stability, and often essential caregiving. Their contribution helps parents, particularly mothers, navigate the often overwhelming balance between professional life and personal responsibility.
Mothers are more often impacted in their careers than fathers by the arrival of a child.
The choice to nurture a child and develop a career is not a sacrifice, but a right that must be fully supported.
Several European countries have already implemented measures to value unpaid care work and support caregivers such as grandparents (whose involvement should be based on a voluntary basis).
• Sweden: parents can transfer parental leave days to someone else, such as grandparents.
• Germany and Austria: older people volunteer to care for children, (“Leihomas und Leihopas” (borrowed grandparent)
. Portugal: working grandparents can receive 30 days of allowance to care for a sick child
. Intergenerational housing, which benefits people of all ages by fostering close connections between generations. Our member (Les trois pommiers) proposes this for single mothers, their children and older people
. Recognition and validation of the soft skills that derive from parenting or caring
Internationally, in Nagi, Japan, older people serve as honorary grandparents, offer mentoring and support