The Dual Burden of Farm Work and Childcare: A Study on the Stress of Grandparents in Rural Grandparenting——A Case Study of S Village in Chuxiong Prefecture

Abstract

With the acceleration of urbanization, an increasing number of young rural laborers continuously migrate to cities. This migration results in grandparents primarily shouldering the responsibility of raising children, thereby highlighting the pressures faced by rural grandparenting families. S Village in Chuxiong Prefecture has a large population of migrant workers, making grandparenting a common phenomenon. During the busy farming season, grandparents bear the dual responsibility of agricultural production and childcare, which creates a particularly pronounced burden. Based on meticulous field research, this paper systematically analyzes the practical dilemmas faced by grandparents engaged in childcare during peak farming periods. The study reveals that this group experiences a superposition of physical, psychological, and social pressures. Furthermore, within the context of a multi-ethnic village, these pressures exhibit even more complex characteristics.