Nancy Scott is like any other parent determined to be involved in their child's life. She attends PTA meetings, works at the band boosters concession stands and proudly announces achievements to anyone who will listen. The only difference is her child is not her daughter, she's her granddaughter.

For the last several years, Scott and her husband, Horace, have been legal guardians of Nancy's granddaughter, Hillary Howze.

They are not alone. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2005 American Community Survey, there are 773 grandparents in Cullman County who are responsible for raising grandchildren who are under 18 years old. The majority of those, 484, have been responsible for their grandchildren for more than five years. More than 200 have been taking care of their grandchildren for less than a year and 69 have been their guardians for three to four years.

In Alabama, the Alabama Association of Retired People reports there are 92,648 children living with their grandparents and 4.5 million nationally.

Nancy describes 14-year-old Hillary's entrance into their life as a blessing. Neither the situation precipitating Hillary's arrival nor the timing was perfect, she admits, but it's something she said wouldn't have wanted to miss.

Before Hillary, Nancy's daughter's child, moved in permanently, she had stayed with them off and on. The official call came in 2001, shortly after 9/11.

Nancy and Horace had been married for about a year, were retired and had plans to travel.

“But God knows best,” Nancy said.

Horace, she said, was marvelous, having no hard feelings about bringing Hillary into their home.

“He said, 'I know you would do the same if it was my granddaughter,'” Nancy said.

There are some adjustments for both the grandchildren and the grandparents who raise them.

In effect, the grandparents become the parents, and as such, can't be the “spoilers” they may normally be.

That, Hillary said, is the hardest part about being raised by her grandparents.

“The worst thing for me is not being spoiled by my grandparents,” Hillary said. “When the other grandchildren get to come over, they get to eat what they want.”

Nancy said it's not easy to do, because she wants to spoil Hillary the same as she would her other grandchildren, but she knows her responsibilities to Hillary go further than those for the others.

“I have to remember I'm raising this child,” Nancy said.

That's why Hillary has her chores and responsibilities. She's expected to keep her room clean and helps her grandmother in the yard.

“She's a remarkable child,” Nancy said of her granddaughter, proud of her accomplishments academically and artistically.

While she would still like to be spoiled, Hillary doesn't mind helping out because she appreciates the active role her grandmother takes in her life.

Nancy said while there are days she feels overwhelmed, she also feels like she's been given a second chance by God who helps her through those difficult times.

Her age, 66, is another advantage, she said.

“Raising children at my age is an asset,” she said. “I draw on experience that I've had in the past and know that I am much wiser.”

She's found more wisdom in the words and phrases her mother used to spout. While as a young mother she did not use those words, she's found over time those words have come to mean more and shares them today with Hillary.

“Never give anyone the power to make you feel bad about yourself,” Nancy said, is one of her favorite phrases. “You don't have to step on somebody to get to the top” and “Bloom where you're planted,” are two others.

Raising a grandchild has not stopped the Scotts from living their life or planning for the future.

“We still dream,” she said. “Even though you're raising a grandchild, you can still dream. They can benefit from your dreams, too.”