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Original poster

Grandchildren

53 replies

user1491037718 · 22/08/2023 17:05

4 years ago we moved Essex where I’d been teaching until being crushed under the back wheels of a bus and numerous bad medical problems both my wife and I had ... back to Yorkshire only West Yorkshire this time
We were lucky enough to buy a house across from our back garden literally 5 mins walk from number 1 son and his family and 3 of our grandchildren and therein lies my problem .... in spite of my wife and I both having numerous awful ailments we only see 2 of the grandchildren when they are ordered to by dad or it’s a birthday or some such thing ... no help for my wife either .. the grandchildren are 31 , 25 and 17

My question is is this normal behaviour nowadays ... I’m 77 and my wife is a bit younger ???

Sorry if I haven’t explained myself very well it’s the pills and lack of sleep 😢

OP posts:
woodhill · 23/08/2023 10:36

Sorry you are in poor health OP

I would have thought the onus would be on your ds more not Dgc

hiredandsqueak · 23/08/2023 10:50

My children were young adults when they lost their last grandparent. They adored him and went to see him most weeks. He hadn't provided childcare or done any of the stuff that it's assumed must be done to get reciprocated in old age but we had visited regularly and he visited occasionally too.
He had a lovely relationship with them all,, so much so both my grandchildren have his name as their middle name in tribute.
From my boys being teens they would go and do the heavy work in the garden for him, they both have fond memories of the weekends they stayed there working on his projects.
My daughter would go shopping with him, he loved the opportunity to point out that he was with his granddaughter as I suspect he talked about the gc a lot.
I think it's difficult though if there isn't a close bond already there to build one once the gc are adults when they have busy lives and moat likely their own families.

ImABox · 23/08/2023 11:01

@user1491037718 are you saying that your wife cooks every day for you, another adult child that lives with you and for this other son with the 3 grandchildren? But you want them to do care for her?

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