This week marks a year since Michael Jackson died. After his untimely death, a major focus was the future of his children, Prince, Paris and \’Blanket.\’ According to Jackson\’s will, his mother was to raise them – and the judge granted her permanent custody. All the while, pundits were busy predicting who would really take care of them.

The number of boomer grandparents assuming care and financial responsibility for grandchildren continues to increase. Statistics show that over 2.9 million grandparents are raising more than 4.5 million grandchildren. This is particularly true in families that involve a habitual drug user, a single parent or one with a chronic illness.

Despite the superstar status of the Jackson family, there is something quintessentially human and familiar about them. Haven\’t each of us, as a result of death or divorce, had a complicated situation in our own family? If you\’re caught up in the middle of a painful tragedy or complex crisis, here are some ideas to consider as you begin to take better care of your grandchildren and yourself:

While Michael Jackson was alive, a main priority was to protect his privacy and his children. And their grandmother has had their best interests at heart, knowing their pain in losing the only parent they knew. Without a lot of fanfare, she has made a coordinated effort to bring stability to the children\’s lives.

In accepting Michael\’s posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award last January, Prince choked up while thanking fans for their support since his dad\’s death. And Paris spoke about her love for her dad. What little information the media has received about the family this year – and that\’s a good thing for the Jackson children – makes you think that they\’re all doing the best they can.

Phyllis Goldberg, Ph.D. & Rosemary Lichtman, Ph.D.