this post was submitted on 24 Aug 2025
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Almost all of it comes down to how long it takes to raise children. It takes a lot more people and effort and time to raise humans vs any other species, and its made us unique in that we have essentially support roles. Elderly people, people who can't or dont want to have kids of their own, even older children, all have a role to play in making sure we make it to adulthood and continue the species.
Does anyone currently have any elders taking care of their kids? Or having done so?
The current generation of Elders living today aren't doing shit for support.
I would argue given how much voting power they have - they are actively making it worse for ~~parents~~ everyone
I think it's less common in north america than in other continents.
It's becoming more common where I am for a couple to move back to somewhere near one of their sets of parents before they have kids so they can rely on them for occasional childcare since both of the new parents usually have jobs
The grandparents have jobs as well here in uk so nobody has families anymore..
Yes, my mother in law is living with us and helping is to take care of our 4 years old and 2 years old
The "grandmother theory" is supporting this idea.
The idea is that past a certain age there is an evolutionary benefit to not be able to have kids anymore. Past a certain age, to pass our genes it's more beneficial to be able to help descendants with their kids rather than having kids on our own.