To think this is cruel on the children?

[Phillipconnarthy]

I know it's not my business, my children etc. But I'm just sharing an opinion.

A friend has two children, a boy aged 5 and a girl aged 9. Every summer, they're shipped off to their grandparents for the majority of the school holidays.
Their grandparents live 300 miles away. Obviously they get updates, facetimes etc. But I think that's pretty cruel, particularly on the 5 year old.

A week or so I could be totally on board with, but nearly 6 weeks? Anyway it's up to them, just wondered what people thought.

Does it not occur to you that some people have a good relationship with their parents, others less so, or are even no contact? That some GPs might be working rather than retired, have different fitness/energy levels - or even interest in looking after GC full time for much f the year?
There was also a recent thread where a poster was concerned about her FiL being very touchy feely & questioning whether he had paedophile tendencies - clearly using him as a full time holiday carer would be very different to a GP with a healthy relationship with offspring and GC.

I would have loved this as a child!! My nanny used to make us lovely dinmers and take us out and played cards with us! Takes a village and all that!

Not six weeks but me and my sister would get shipped off to our grandparents for weeks at a time over the holidays it was amazing. My grandparents lived near the beach, everyday was full of adventures, we had such a strong relationship with our grandparents it was just the best upbringing. I never missed my parents they’d call and sometimes visit. My uncle would also visit with my cousins, we’d have parties. I try to recreate that feeling with my children over the summer.

The alternative would be staying at home with overworked and grumpy parents self entertaining.

I think in alot of countries it’s just what everyone does! And their holidays would be longer than in the UK probably.

Kids go to GPs for the holidays because working parents need to work.

My happiest childhood memories are weekends & school holidays spent with my Nan & Pa. I loved being there & stayed there as often & for as long as possible.

This was normal back in the day but I could never do this , I would miss my kids to much and I’m sure they would miss us

What about the grandparents? Full-time childcare and responsibility for 6 weeks is a big ask!

My parents wouldn't have been up for it, and I'd never have asked them. My ILs were a dead loss.

Either way I couldn't have been without my children for weeks on end!

I was that kid. Mostly loved it. Ocasionally I grumbled about it but I was spoilt rotten, had 100% attention from wonderful grandparents and have very fond memories of my summers.

My parents volunteered and loved it.

Same. My parents (and grandparents when they were alive) always asked to take my daughter for the holidays since she was a toddler.

YABU. I used to spend every school holiday with my grandparents in their council flat in London. Single parent family, Dad not around.
My grandparents took me abroad as well - I very rarely went on holiday with my Mum as she worked about 3 jobs.
Such happy memories. I miss my grandparents dearly. It’s only now I feel like my Mum was distant towards me as a child, but she did her best.

I used to prefer being with my grandmother, than with my mother.

I think older people are better at raising kids. It can be a good dynamic.

Older people are retired and have more time for a start.