The role of the elderly has changed, both in society and within the family. The number of grandparents has been growing, as well the time they live as grandparents. Grandparenthood is a bond between relatives, linking mother and father functions in spite of their differences, playing an important role in the person’s development. This study aimes to analyze the relationship between grandmothers and grandchildren during childhood, according to the perception of grandmothers and grandchildren. We conducted 17 structured surveys with the grandmothers and their grandchildren. The results were analyzed trough the ALCESTE software, which performs an automatic quantitative study of text information. The study revealed a significant presence of intergenerational relationship in grandmothers’ viewpoint, represented by the most common words, in decreasing order: grandmother, grandchildren and dad. Class 1 (34,45%) showed how significantly was grandparenthood represented for the activities performed with grandchildren; Class 2 (42,86%), how grandmothers felt carrying through such activities; and Class 3 (22,69%) showed the elderly’s view about old age. Two lines were created, the first called intergenerational relationship (Classes 1 and 2) and the second called old age (Class 3). The relation between classes 1 and 2 was 0,4 and between the lines 1 and 2 was 0. The analysis of grandchildren’s speeches revealed categories and subcategories, respectively: benefit - entertainment and affection; feeling - proud and difference; meaning of old age - unknown and predictable. In the benefit category, results indicated that the grandsons or granddaughters felt happy and pleased when they performed activities with their grandmothers. Beyond this, they used to value the affection offered by the grandmothers. In the feeling category, the grandchildren showed the personal qualities of their grandmothers. They built different kinds of relations between grandparents and grandchildren. In the meaning of old age category, some grandchildren did not know the meaning of the term, whereas others kept in mind how their old age will be in the future. This study concluded that elderly grandmothers have a close relationship with their grandchildren during childhood, and this relation has been confirmed and recognized by their grandchildren.
Intergenerational Relationship; Grandmother; Grandchildren; Grandparenthood