Kōrero: Diverse families

In 2008 Sarah Leota and her two daughters, Grace (9) and Ruby (2), lived with her mother, Lorraine Owen, in Titirangi in Auckland. They started sharing a home three years before, when Sarah separated from her husband. She was pregnant with Ruby at the time, had financial difficulties and needed emotional support. Sarah cared for the children and studied for a teaching diploma while Lorraine worked full-time. The house was full of children's toys and was very different from when Lorraine lived alone. Sarah looked forward to being more independent and living in her own place in a few years when she had full-time employment. Lorraine felt that the everyday nature of living with her grandchildren meant she missed out on being 'the fun nana', but she liked coming home to dinners cooked by Sarah.