Un-interative grandparents

[Pinkgrass]

Just need to rant and see if anyone is in a similar position.
My parents constantly bang on about their love for their grandchildren (age 1 and 4) constantly talk about how they can't wait to see them next and how much they miss them etc.
We see them probably once every 2 weeks and alternative between mine and their house. The problem is they just want to sit on the sofa drinking tea/coffee while seeing the kids from a distance. They never want to take them to the park or play games with them or be interactive. It annoys me so much, miss them so much but don't do anything with them just watch them and take a couple of.photos to post on Facebook to look like the most doting grandparents in the world!! For context they are in their 60s and in good health.

My mum and dad too and they'd be in their 90s. They loved playing with us as kids and they were brilliant/down on the floor grandparents. It has nothing to do with age/generation.

Babies are boring. Children who grandparents can play card games or table top games with are much more fun.

I say this as someone who has several children aged between 16 and 6yo and I am in my early 40s.

Exactly - they are only in their early 60s! Seen and not heard was Victorian.

My DM is 75, and happily gets down on the floor and plays with DS. DH is 45 and does not (he does other stuff). Different parenting styles, nothing to do with age.

My in-laws aren't very interactive. Once watched my daughter bring my FIL a book and ask him to read it. He read one short page and handed it back to her and went back to watching tv! They don't play or read bedtime stories. It bothered me to start with. Now I've just accepted that it's just how they are - you can't force it.

My in laws are the same. Just sit on the sofa on their phones in silence and stick the TV on for the kids. They won't even go to the park or a coffee shop. We hardly ever visit and the kids don't want to because it's so boring. They live two hours away from us so it's just not worth the effort, and they refuse to travel to us. It's so disappointing.

I think to that age group that is their idea of parenting / interaction etc - do you remember them playing with you as a child?

Nonsense! We had the grandchildren, aged 3 and 5 for the weekend in September. We were exhausted after spending the whole weekend at “school”, playing “Teachers!” (We and DGS were the school children, while DGD was the teacher). DH was permanently excluded, because he was so naughty! I had to call 999, as Tigger and Eeyore had such explosive diarrhoea!

The generation that didn't play, do me a favour. I played all the time with my children and can get down there on the floor with the grandkids.Im in my 70s and a bit creaky but they don't worry about that. I think they believe I'm just an old kid!
My parents generation didn't play a lot , I was expected to help in the house, play out a lot and amuse myself. They were also good parents! Play as a serious activity wasn't top of the list in the frugal 50s.