Description

GCMONTHS uses five categories (from less than 6 months to 5 or more years) to report the amount of time the respondent had been responsible for a co-resident grandchild. Respondents who were currently financially responsible for more than one co-resident grandchild were instructed to report the length of the longest period of responsibility for a grandchild in the household.

Respondents were only asked this question if they lived with at least one grandchild under age 18 (see GCHOUSE) and were responsible for most of the basic needs of at least one co-resident grandchild (see GCRESPON).

Comparability

This variable is only available in the 2000 census, the ACS and the PRCS.

Universe

Availability

• 2023: All samples
• 2022: All samples
• 2021: All samples
• 2020: All samples
• 2019: All samples
• 2018: All samples
• 2017: All samples
• 2016: All samples
• 2015: All samples
• 2014: All samples
• 2013: All samples
• 2012: All samples
• 2011: All samples
• 2010: ACS; ACS 3yr; ACS 5yr
• 2009: All samples
• 2008: All samples
• 2007: All samples
• 2006: All samples
• 2005: All samples
• 2004: All samples
• 2003: All samples
• 2002: All samples
• 2001: All samples
• 2000: All samples
• 1990: --
• 1980: --
• 1970: --
• 1960: --
• 1950: --
• 1940: --
• 1930: --
• 1920: --
• 1910: --
• 1900: --
• 1880: --
• 1870: --
• 1860: --
• 1850: --

• 2023: All samples
• 2022: All samples
• 2021: All samples
• 2020: All samples
• 2019: All samples
• 2018: All samples
• 2017: All samples
• 2016: All samples
• 2015: All samples
• 2014: All samples
• 2013: All samples
• 2012: All samples
• 2011: All samples
• 2010: PRCS; PRCS 3yr; PRCS 5yr
• 2009: All samples
• 2008: All samples
• 2007: All samples
• 2006: All samples
• 2005: All samples
• 2000: All samples
• 1990: --
• 1980: --
• 1970: --
• 1930: --
• 1920: --
• 1910: --

Flags

Editing Procedure

GCHOUSE (Grandchild living in household)
GCRESPON (Responsible for grandchildren)
GCMONTHS (Months responsible for grandchildren)
ACS Years: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
ACS editing procedure:
If a person is under 30 (AGE) or there is only one person in the household, GCHOUSE will indicate that the person has no grandchildren in the household. GCRESPON and GCMONTHS will both be "Not in universe."
For those 30 and over who are not in one-person households, the Census first examines if there are any potential grandchildren in a household. They use three pieces of information. First, the potential grandchild must be under 18. The potential grandparent must be 30 or more years older than the potential grandchild. Third, the potential grandchild and grandparents must have appropriate relationships to the reference person (RELATE):
Definite grandchild relationships:

• Reference person and/or the reference person's spouse to a grandchild

• Parent of reference person and child of reference person

Possible grandchild relationships:

• Son/daughter of reference person and other relative

• Brother/sister of reference person and other relative

• Parent of reference person and other relative

• Grandchild of reference person and other relative

• Parent-in-law of reference person to child of reference person

• Parent-in-law of reference person to other relative

• Other relative to brother/sister of reference person

• Other relative to other relative

• Roomer/boarder to roomer/boarder

• Roomer/boarder to non-relative

• Housemate/roommate to roomer boarder

• Housemate/roommate to non-relative

• Unmarried partner to grandchild

• Unmarried partner to non-relative

• Non-relative to non-relative

If a person reports having grandchildren in their household or has a missing value (GCHOUSE), and no one in their household is a potential grandchild, GCHOUSE will be replaced with "No" and GCRESPON and GCMONTHS will both be changed to "Not in universe." QGCHOUSE will show the value was allocated.
If a person reports not having a grandchild in their household and there are no potential grandchildren in their household, GCRESPON and GCMONTHS will both be changed to "Not in universe."
If a person reports not having a grandchild in their household or the value is missing, but there is a potential grandchild who falls into the "Definite grandchild relationships" pairings, GCHOUSE will be changed to "Yes." QGCHOUSE will show the value was allocated.
If a person reports not having a grandchild in their household and there is not a potential grandchild who falls into the "Definite grandchild relationships," GCHOUSE and GCMONTHS will be changed to "Not in universe."
If a person has a missing value for GCHOUSE and there is not a potential grandchild who falls into the "Definite grandchild relationships," GCHOUSE will be changed to "No" and GCMONTHS will be changed to "Not in universe." QGCHOUSE will show the value was allocated.
If a person reports having a grandchild in their household, but there is a missing value for if they are responsible for grandchildren (GCRESPON) it will be allocated from another respondent with a valid response for GCRESPON who has similar values for age, relationship to reference to reference person, marital status, vision or hearing difficulty, and physical difficulties. When this occurs, QGCRESPO will indicate the value was allocated.
If a person reports having in their household and that they are not responsible for grandchildren (GCRESPON), months responsible (GCMONTHS) will be replaced with "Not in universe."
If a person reports having in their household and that they are responsible for grandchildren (GCRESPON), but the value for how many months is missing or is longer than the oldest grandchild has been alive, it will be allocated from a similar age of oldest grandchild and relationship to reference person. When this occurs, QGCMONTH will indicate the value was allocated.
Internal ACS variable : GLC GCR GCM