skipped generation family

Definition of Skipped Generation Family

(noun) A family in which grandparents raise grandchildren due to the absence of parents.

Example of Skipped Generation Family

• Quinn and Harley’s grandparents raised them when their mother died.

Skipped Generation Family Pronunciation

Pronunciation Usage Guide

Syllabification: skipped gen·er·a·tion fam·i·ly

Audio Pronunciation

International Phonetic Alphabet

• American English – /skɪpt ˌʤɛnəˈreɪʃən ˈfæməli/
• British English – /skɪpt ˌʤɛnəˈreɪʃən ˈfæmɪli/

Usage Notes

• Plural: skipped generation families
• The parent’s absence can occur for many reasons, including death or incarceration. Additionally, the grandparents could have taken the grandchildren in because of abuse and neglect. Often, the alternative to a skipped generation family is foster care.
• Variant spelling: skipped-generation family
• Also called:
  • grand family (grand-family, grandfamily)
  • grandparents as parents (GAP)
  • grandparents raising grandchildren (GRG)
  • skip generation family (skip-generation family)
  • skipped generation household (skipped-generation household)

Additional Information

• Family and Kinship Resources – Books, Journals, and Helpful Links
• Word origin of “skip” and “generation” and “family” – Online Etymology Dictionary: etymonline.com

Related Terms

• blended family
• conjugal family
• extended family
• family of orientation
• family of procreation
• generation
• marriage
• nuclear family
• residence
• single-parent family
• symmetrical family

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Cite the Definition of Skipped Generation Family

ASA – American Sociological Association (5th edition)

Bell, Kenton, ed. 2014. “skipped generation family.” In Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Retrieved April 26, 2024 (https://sociologydictionary.org/skipped-generation-family/).

APA – American Psychological Association (6th edition)

skipped generation family. (2014). In K. Bell (Ed.), Open education sociology dictionary. Retrieved from https://sociologydictionary.org/skipped-generation-family/

Chicago/Turabian: Author-Date – Chicago Manual of Style (16th edition)

Bell, Kenton, ed. 2014. “skipped generation family.” In Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Accessed April 26, 2024. https://sociologydictionary.org/skipped-generation-family/.

MLA – Modern Language Association (7th edition)

“skipped generation family.” Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Ed. Kenton Bell. 2014. Web. 26 Apr. 2024. <https://sociologydictionary.org/skipped-generation-family/>.