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Chicago's Very Own: Grandparents raising kids
Jane Boal, Reporter/Producer
May 26, 2006
In the United States there are more than 4 million grandparents who are raising grandchildren.
Here in Chicago there are about 200,000 who are raising kids for a second time around.
Tonight we meet one special south side family who is making raising kids their life's mission.
"So this is what? A diverse jury set for trial?" says Reverend Julia Knox, who raised 14 kids.
Reading and talking about current events is one way Mr. and Mrs. Knox help all of the children in their home to learn.
"You know what we always do is, we read and we discuss what we read," Knox says.
They have been parenting in their south side home for more than 33 years. They have six (grown-up) biological children, 28 grand and great grandchildren. They adopted five children (who are also siblings) and they've raised three of their grandkids. Sixteen-year-old Jonathan is the oldest of the eight kids currently living in the home.
"We get treated like family here," Jonathan says.
Mrs. or 'Reverend' Knox adopted the group of five siblings while she was raising three of her grandkids.
"And when I saw them all together it was like my heart (pause) it was like I knew I needed to keep these kids together," Knox says.
"It's fun to be around my family and around people that care," says Jakira Laws, adopted by Knox.
Reverend Knox is a certified nursing assistant, a licensed minister and missionary. She believes in setting a good example for the kids and says they keep her and her husband feeling young.
"They keep us on our toes, they keep our mind operating, they keep our heart poundings, ha ha ha," Knox says.
Virgina Lowton Boller is Calumet's Metropolitan Family Services Program Supervisor for Seniors Parenting Again. She says it's crucial for grandparents raising kids to continue learning, to get support and to view themselves as the actual parents.
"They have to see themselves as parents because children need parents, all children need someone to raise them to nurture them and to educate them," Boller says.
"I want them to know what a family is all about and I want them to know what love is, real love," Knox says.
Reverend and Mr. Knox are Chicago's Very Own for giving children who might otherwise be split apart a real family.
If you're interested in finding out ways to help foster kids- including doing simple things such as helping them with their homework - you can call The Adoption Information Center of Illinois at 800-572-2390.
Adoption Information Center of Illinois
120 W. Madison - Suite 800
Chicago, IL 60602
800-572-2390
Or go to www.adoptinfo-il.org
Copyright © 2008, WGN-TV
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