Transnational Grandparenting

The Emotional Impact of Missing Defining Moments

Abstract

This study explores the impact of global emigration on the relationships between South African grandparents and their grandchildren born abroad. This study adopts a qualitative approach to examine the emotional challenges of maintaining meaningful connections when physical distance limits grandparents’ ability to be present for cultural rituals or key life events. The discussion of the findings is organised into three key phases of grandparenting, revealing a recurring theme of missing out on important milestones. The findings indicate that geographical separation creates significant barriers to sustaining emotional closeness, particularly during the early years of a grandchild’s life. While modern communication technologies help families to maintain contact, they cannot fully replace the relational depth of face-to-face interactions. Many grandparents struggle to create the same level of intimacy and presence but have adapted by employing long-distance bonding strategies and leveraging virtual tools to remain actively involved in their grandchildren’s lives despite the physical distance.