Topic - Evolution of Grandparents. Our ancient ancestors didn’t have grandparents because people died young.
Grandparents arrived on the human scene only about 30,000 years ago and may have been the reason for the explosion of new types of tools and art that occurred about the same time.
Even in those brutal times, grandparents contributed to the economic and social resources of their children.
As with today, elders reinforce social connections. They were keepers of critical information such as the kinds of plants to eat, how to find water as well as cultural information such as ceremonies and traditions.
The intergenerational accumulation of knowledge was essential for creating family and societal systems.
The increase in population improved trade which increased the pace of population growth.
Grandparents. Wow, they’re not just the best babysitters ever; they helped us get to where we are today. Cool!
