Helping a mother through the early months of parenthood is just the beginning of the grandparental care journey, however. More so than grandfathers, it is grandmothers who often cover gaps in childcare, which can result in their own work hours being curtailed and a drop in earnings potential. Yet more help does not necessarily equate to better ties. The Finnish study found that the more grandchild care a paternal grandmother performs, the more likely a daughter-in-law is to report some form of conflict - the rule of thumb being, the more involved they are in each other’s lives, the more opportunities there are for friction.
