Entitled attitude: grandparents must provide childcare

So true😁

I suspect that it is the grandMOTHERS who are forced to give up the things they love to care for their children’s children…..plus ca change. IF people want to help out, that’s wonderful, but there is a world of difference between volunteering to help out and being conscripted.

i have a live ad (lottery) showing put upon Grandma running away from her entitled family…

Procreate with better men

Totally agree, it’s such an entitled attitude but at the same time, I do wonder about the grandparents who have taught their kids that that’s acceptable in the first place

I agree i have never expected help for childcare from my parents, had my first child at 18 and had to give up college and driving lessons untill she started school.

WTAF???

I have told son that I won’t be doing granny child care on a regular basis. Fine for occasional thing. They live 150 miles away so unless they move, wouldn’t be much help anyway. I raised mine with no in-laws. Mother died when I was a child, father very full time working, in-laws abroad. We managed. Was definitely not easy. But you can find a way

Childcare is just so expensive (£2,000 a month full time here!) that I can see why people hope that grandparents will help, but relying on it isn’t ideal, even if all agreed, as it can be a lot to do for someone whose energy levels and health may be waning. A friend has her two pre school grandchildren two days a week and it is really affecting her already precarious health, but she doesn’t feel able to say so as she knows her daughters in law rely on her and couldn’t afford to work if they had to pay for childcare. A lack of affordable childcare, including council nurseries or workplace crèches, really does make things hard for working parents, especially mothers let’s be honest.

WTF! Jesus self entitlement personified 🙄

Oh, I don't deny it..it's a privilege not a right. However, we don't have the luxury afforded us of a stable -ish economy. We couldn't buy our houses with a 10k down payment.

Manners go a long way -for sure. However, a little appreciation as to how close to the bone most of us are these days; wouldn't go amiss.

I'm sure many 70 year old women are more useful and reliable than feckless men. But when those women, who have already done the heavy lifting of raising one family, are expected to start all over again, working for free in their 70s, i think most feminists would consider that a bit of an own goal.

@Shudahaddogs
if there was any logic in this batshittery (which of course there isn’t), the ‘redundant males’ would be providing the childcare to the grandchildren whilst the Uber-mother in her 70s would be relaxing after her lifetime of graft.

This. Its funny generation we live in. Basically people are living longer, and women are having kids later. Us girls can have a career, a life, and not bother with men at all. Men are now redundant in so many ways. Forward thinking women's attitude is that an able bodied mother in her 70 s who is present, is more useful and reliable than any man . Women who have this relationship with their mother is to be cherished rather than the kids father who is displaced, no longer the bread winner and on tinder .

She's 34. Hardly a lifetime. Who knows how much her rent will cost in future. Housing stock changes ownership and tenancy rights reduce. Tory government remember?

My parents look after my children because they enjoy having them. When it got abit much for them I used a nursery some days. My in-laws babysit maybe once or twice a year when they ask to. Their choice and that's fine. They did have one child one day a week then decided to stop. What I find irritating is they then complain that the children are shy around them.

You say it like it’s unfair but you’ve spent your life paying cheap rent so it isn’t really.

I am 34. I had my kids when I was 21, 23 and 26. I rent a council property so I will be working until i am 68…. possibly longer. I certainly will not have the financial lifestyle that will afford me the pleasure of providing free childcare. I will be too busy working myself so best of luck to any future daughter in law of mine who expects this as they’ll be in for a rude awakening 😂👍.

I hope DD will want to have children and I'll be physically fit enough to help look after them ☺️ I can't wait!

Several different issues here. I have just become a grandma. Moving house to be closer and be able to help when needed. But that’s because we want to, not because it’s expected of us. Had very little help from our parents as they were all willing to help for special occasions but not regularly. As they’d cared for their own children and their elderly parents, there was no expectation on our part. We felt they’d earned their retirement.
As to whether we had it easier, I really couldn’t say. I was a sahm because childcare would have cost my entire wage. The earlier posters who seem to assume this is a new phenomenon, are sadly mistaken. We lived on one wage but had lower expectations of what constituted a reasonable standard of living. Think no central heating in our first homes, no tumble dryer, disposable nappies etc. we also survived the 1992 financial crisis with mortgage rates rising to 15%

Your ignorance is astounding, and your stats are incorrect too.

@Reveriesreverie The tone of your post is exactly why I stopped looking after various DGC. There are no "please" "thank you" "I appreciate you looking after the child(ren) in your post and that is what is reality for a lot of grandparents in todays world. Sometimes the demand can get even worse to the point that it is actual abuse of various types.
If you want your child(ren) minded/babysat trying using manners and kindness more than demand and even better try to be caring toward the grandparents

But unpaid childcare isn't work. It's a PRIVILEGE don't you 🙄

Of course they shouldn't be expected to do day to day childcare but sorry this is bollocks

"'They have given everything and more for this country. They’ve paid their taxes, their NI and many still contribute beyond retirement age."

People don't give everything for their country, unless you mean they've been volunteering without being paid (which I doubt you do)
You mean they worked in jobs for pay which got taxed. Like everyone else.

Are you serious? My parents / grandparents all worked from the age of 14 / 15 and beyond retirement age. They have given everything and more for this country. They’ve paid their taxes, their NI and many still contribute beyond retirement age. If they offer childcare then, great! But if they don’t want to do it, or not commit to a regular schedule then that is absolutely their right. They’ve worked for the majority of their lives. Are they not allowed to enjoy retirement after working for 50+ years or should we all work until we drop?