Transnational grandparenting: Child care arrangements among migrants from the People’s Republic of China to Australia

This article examines child care arrangements in a group of 40 recent Chinese migrants to Australia. A pattern of child care has emerged that is summarized as “transnational grandparenting.” This pattern is related to gender ideology and gender role performances that migrants brought with them from the People’s Republic of China. It also relates to barriers migrants face in a new country as well as cultural differences in family values and kinship relations. The significance of transnational grandparenting is multifaceted. It is neither traditional nor modern, but a practice that migrants adopt to meet the needs of families. It has social and cultural implications beyond its immediate aid.