Role of technology in the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren in Asia

Abstract

Background

The relationship between grandparents and grandchildren in Asian countries has been evolving with times. Due to urbanisation, the social impact of family structure and its development has undergone changes. However, grandparents remain an integral part of the family dynamics, most prominently in the role of care for their grandchildren. As life expectancy improves globally, and older persons have access to better healthcare services (United Nations Data, 2020), the grandparents could have more time to spend with their grandchildren and are physically more capable to care for them.

At the same time, the number of married female participation in the workforce has increased. In Singapore, the number has risen from 63.6% in 2016 to 65.2% in 2021 (Singapore Ministry of Manpower, 2022). The female gender’s  traditional role in the household diminishes, grandparents step up to fill that role.

Relationship between grandparents and grandchildren has traditionally been built upon the value of filial piety as the foundation of Asian society.

Discussion

The integration of technology into the community, for the most part, has been able to aid in fostering a sense of closeness between grandparents and grandchildren. As technology becomes more user-friendly and older persons' digital literacy increases, grandparents and grandchildren are now more able to remain emotionally close even if they are separated by physical distance. Grandparents need only to send a text or audio message to communicate with their grandchildren. Even if face-to-face meetings is not available, video calls are natural substitute. Furthermore, some grandchildren invited their grandparents to use technology by posting their photos and contents in the social media platforms. These digital platforms serve as a medium that grandchildren use to share their lives with their grandparents. More importantly, being a more technologically-savvy generation, the grandchildren often take up the role of reverse mentoring in teaching and levelling up their grandparents digital literacy. Technology can create opportunities for intergenerational bonding and allow them to spend quality time together.

Conclusion

Although the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren is still built on the same foundations and values as in the past, technology platform has augmented the grandparent and grandchildren relationship and plays a seminal role in this relationship. It cements the interactions and closes the physical divides between grandparents and grandchildren. In contrast to long held views that technology creates barrier in human relationship, it is not necessarily the case all the time.