Paula Banks, 77, has raised her 9-year-old great-granddaughter AriAnna since birth. They live in Boston’s Grandfamilies House, surrounded by other intergenerational families.
Robin Eschman has raised or helped raise two biological children, seven children who came to her through long-term relationships, and 11 grandchildren. She’s 55 and lives with her partner, Debra Weathers, in the Atlanta metro area. At one point, there were 10 kids in the house at the same time. The family bought food in bulk, made great use of bunk beds and fielded an entire baseball team.
When she took in her first grandchildren about 17 years ago, Eschman thought the kids would only be with her for a limited time. She says she held onto that hope for years before coming to grips with the fact that her children were not going to be able to parent.
