Will you provide regular childcare for your grandchildren?

[GranparentChildcare]

For those of you that have kids.
Are you going to provide regular child care on a regular basis for your grand children.

I’m 40 and my eldest dd is 13. Im going to assume she doesn’t get pregnant in the next 5 years because I would find that so upsetting, and I’m also going to assume she will go to university,sort herself out, travel etc. so let’s say she’s 25 (which is still way too young these days imo 🤣) that is in 12 years time..then no because ill still be working full time. If she is 32…then maybe 1 day a week as I plan to be part time possibly. I will babysit at the weekend if she wants to go out though yes.

I had my dc at 19 and 24, and they are now 21 and 26 and I'm 45. I'll still be working if they have children, so will provide date nights but won't be able to help out properly until I retire.

If I am given the opportunity to do so then yes please!!
Can't wait!

I’d hope so.

we absolutely will, if able (due to health, location etc). Both sets of grandparents had our kids regularly and they have the most amazing bond as a a result. And both kids and grandparents have the most special memories of their time together.

No.
I'm 65, DH 64 and both still working.

We will help in emergencies, I'll babysit occasionally and have grandchildren in the school holidays if we are still well enough and they are in the UK. We'll be 70 then.

One grandchild on the way but ds and dil are abroad - we are visiting in September when the baby will be about four months.

What we will do for both DC when the time comes is to pay for a couple of days of nursery, or part fund a nanny. We have the money but not the time, energy or, if I'm honest, the desire. We did our bit 25/30 years ago with very little help.

I hope to although I am disabled, I aim to offer two days a week (one each or both on same days if feasible)

We have one granddaughter and we look after her once a week. We also have her for sleepovers (she has her own bedroom here) and when needed.
We moved to be closer to them.
This September she will be starting school so I’m expecting to share holidays with her parents. We have a lovely relationship with our dgd and she regards our house as her second home.

I’d like to think when I have grandkids in maybe the next 10-15 years that ill still be working in the job I love for another 10 years after that so it will be a no for me. Weekends and date nights etc yes. That said, if for some unfortunate reason said grandchild needed care because of SEN or a medical issue that prevented my kids working and supporting them themselves then I’d probably rethink. I wouldn’t want my children having children themselves thinking I would be the childcare that’s plain selfish. I hope they will all be financially stable to arrange and afford their own care and allow me to have voluntary Nanny rights as and when I can.

Why ask though if you don’t have skin in the game since you don’t have children?

I regularly provide childcare to my grandchildren which is mostly doing school runs and childcare during school holidays.

When I was a registered childminder, I looked after them for free using my allocated places.

I know grandparents who feel they have looked after their own children and now its their time to do the things they want to which doesn't include looking after children and that's fair enough.

Mine are teen tweens so it's a long way off but I don't plan to. Never say Never. Maybe I'll feel differently in my 60s. Mind you I didn't like looking after my own dc when young.

Absolutely yes. Especially if it meant keeping them out of formal childcare which I hate.

Well, I have GC, through my DS, but because of the acrimonious breakdown of their relationship we are no longer 'family' therefore only see them occasionally when they want the birthday and Christmas presents so no, I don't.

Their mother wants it that way, she can crack on.

No, I won't. I gave my 'all' to raising my own children, even being a SAHM in the early years, which certainly affected my career. I didn't find any of it easy and was much happier as the children grew older - not that the teenage years were particularly easy either.

I'm now retired. I feel I've done my bit with my own children and don't intend to be looking after anyone else's, even my own grandchildren.
I'm not one of those people who looks forward to grandchildren in any case, and fortunately it doesn't look as though any will be appearing any time soon.

My own adult children know exactly how I feel, I've made sure they're not under any illusion that I'll be around for childcare....just so they can factor it into any plans they might make for their futures.

I have 2 grandchildren and do not provide regular childcare - we live about 50 miles away

I have lots of happy memories of time with my grandparents, but I doubt I or any of my friends will be doing much caring.

It’s not that we don’t want to, I would love to be a grandma, however the world has changed dramatically. Our children went to university and moved away, then women generally have children later, so I just feel like I won’t be up to any caring. I’m in my late 60’s now and no sign of grandchildren yet.

We didn't have any help and it was hard. I wouldn't want my kids to feel the same way.

No

It will all depend on where DC end up living and how my health is really. Chances are I’ll also need to work until I drop and so I might not be able to do childcare if I’m not retired. Our mortgage runs until we are practically retirement age so unless we become in a situation to overpay it then we will need our income.

one of my friends mums does the school runs 5 days a week for 3 kids and she is in her 70’s and always looks absolutely exhausted - it saves my friend a fortune but her mum is clearly worn out. She loves her GC tho but often says she’s tired and has a “Nanna nap” quite literally but it restricts her going on holiday and everything! I’m not sure 5 days a week is very fair, I think there needs to be a balance.

I lost my parents early on as did my partner and so we have zero help and it’s tough so if I can babysit the odd evening i will, but it’s unlikely we will be able to do loads of school runs if we are still working.

If I’m physically able to then yes. We will see when the time comes. I only have one DS so it also depends if my help is wanted from mum.

My own mum only did emergency and odd days then sleepovers rather than regular childcare.
PILs did none due to disability. They paid for holiday clubs a few times though without us asking.

I was grateful for whatever people could give,

Not full time care. Theres very good and reasonable priced daycare where we live, and I would hope Ds doesn’t have to work silly hours to survive when the time comes.

I would happily help though with afterschool care, or during holidays or weekends or when ill. Basically be available as much as possible to help, but would expect the core hours to generally be arranged elsewhere as I also will probably still have work to do ( remote).

If Ds has children before he’s 35, I still won’t be retirement age anyway

I’m 45 and I’m guessing that I’ll have to work until I’m nearly 70 and so that’s 25 years so my kids would be

7 + 25 (32)
10 + 25 (35)
14 + 25 (39)

so it’s unlikely I’d be able to do loads of school runs if they have kids before I retire anyway, unless we come into money and are able to retire early.

I will never have them. Dh has 3 under 8 and we don't do childcare. We are late 60s and retired but its something we don't want to do.

Depends on the situation at the time