Upset that my parents prioritise their caravan over seeing their grandson

[Toon49]

Not sure if I'm being stupid feeling this way but I've been really upset by it and feel guilty for feeling this way.

My parents live an hour away and have a static caravan an hour in the opposite direction (so 2 hours away). They spend pretty much every weekend there and we rarely saw them, whenever we invited them anywhere there was always some reason they couldn't come as were at the caravan. I get that's their social life, we had conversations about it where I was just made to feel like I was being stupid and difficult and I just came to accept it.

Now I have a baby who is now 18 months. Initially my mam would visit every couple of weeks. Unfortunately my mam had cancer and had to stay away whilst getting treatment and on chemo which obviously was no ones fault. She's now over all the treatment and seems to make excuses as to why she can't visit or do anything with him all the time. Completely understand this and was accepting she's getting over cancer it's obviously too much with a toddler.
However my parents are now at the caravan every weekend again, out at the pubs and bars with friends and going on days out/for walks etc. They own 2 houses they rent out as holiday cottages near the caravan and spent a lot of time fixing stuff there. They will maybe visit us a couple of hours on their way back from the caravan on a Sunday night once a month or so which makes us feel like a chore they're ticking off. My dad still works full time so they can't visit during the week.

I think I just feel disappointed as it feels that they would rather spend time at the caravan than with their grandson and it does upset me when I was so close to my grandparents. They have plenty of money, my dad could easily retire to spend more time with him during the week and could still use the caravan every weekend. They could comfortably afford a house closer to us to rent out/use if they wanted to and didn't want the drive, they've happily bought multiple houses near their caravan to rent out/use themselves in winter rather than buying something near us which doesn't feel great!
They claim they love spending time with us and want to help out which just annoys me more when they don't actually do it. Ironically my grandparents used to do all the childcare for us for 2 days a week when we were kids and we would see them every weekend on top of that and my parents would still complain they didn't get much support! We've never had anyone who could have our son for even an hour!
I visit my mam when I get a day off during the week if I can but my son is a terrible sleeper and it messes up his routine so we then have a terrible night after with him so it's a bit of a nightmare and there's nothing at my parents house for him so I have to drag everything he needs and toys etc with me so it's not easy but I try to do it when I can! We can't visit at weekends as they're not there as at the caravan which is to far away.
Not sure if I'm being completely unreasonable as if I try to mention anything I'm just made to feel like I'm being stupid and my feelings are never acknowledged. It just feels like the caravan is their priority and it always has been, I just thought having a child would change that. After having cancer and not seeing him months, I'd have thought they'd want to spend as much time as possible with their grandson but maybe I'm being selfish and expecting too much as my grandparents did so much for us! I keep hearing friends with all this support and going on days out with grandparents and I'll admit it does make me jealous.
Just want some perspective as I think maybe I'm making it worse in my own head!

Mmm, having loads of fun at the pub with my mates or spending time with a toddler. I know which one I'd prefer. Small children can be very boring even if they are related to you by blood.

She’s not asking for help. She’s asking them to show an interest in her life and that of her children. My parents and siblings did bugger all to help me either. So what? I’d love to spend time with my GCs if I’m lucky to have them.

How ironic that you accuse the OP of not being able to see beyond her nose when you can’t even be bothered to follow her posts.

And also ignored the bit about the OP's parents having had lots of help from their parents.

People saying you don’t need much for an 18m old must have forgotten, had really chilled out toddlers, or actually fairly helpful parents and they didn’t even realise. There’s not so much as a water cup or a snack for my dc at my dps house. We have to take absolutely everything they may need - it’s loads!

What do they need that requires two cars to lug it all? I used to visit my parents five hours away on the train and didn’t need anything but a buggy and some essentials in a rucksack.

Oh this brings back memories, not quite the same as for you but similar. My in-laws never used to visit us, they now have a caravan the same driving distance and they are there all the time. It's like some sort of old age caravan addiction!

Fair enough, my similar aged dc needs multiple changes of clothes and ideally a change of shoes. Travel potty, some sort of way to clean this and probably something to put down under it on the floor at dps like a towel, to protect their floor. They need snacks, depending on time a preprepared meal or some food to make a meal, plates and cutlery and bibs. Again probably some protective covering for dps flooring, and maybe a mat to protect their table. Ideally a high chair or one of those portable material ones, so they can’t move and make a mess whilst eating. Water bottle. Medication. Nappy changing stuff (the car journey is a bit too long so we have a back up). Blanket. The most exciting books and toys I can find to try and distract them from dps ornaments - That means having lots of options to keep them busy and away from said breakables. pram which was pretty massive and took up most of the boot of our small car until we paid for a new more compact one.
And If they’ve got a dog in the boot there’s not much room for all that.
I agree 2 cars seems a lot, but we don’t know how big the cars or the dog are. Glad you could make it work but that sounds like maybe there actually were a few bits at your parents house for dc, or perhaps they were a bit more accommodating, or dd didnt make as much of a mess. Who knows, we use all that every time though, so we’re not overpacking.

Yes absolutely their life and their choice.
Sad though.
Seems alien to me....
But hey ho everyone's different

Oh it won’t let me edit but I thought the two cars were to stay overnight at the caravan too, not just for a few hours visit, it sounds like op does that in one car just fine, but obviously for overnight you’d also need things for op and her DP, then things like dog beds and bowls too. And baby overnight things. I Think it all adds up!

You're over egging the pudding a bit

How so? That’s just all the stuff we take to dps for a few hours, but I’m agreeing two cars seems a bit much, but if there’s a large dog in a small car boot there’s not much more room for their stuff? Packing for 3 people and a dog for overnight needs a fair amount, especially when one of those people is a toddler. Maybe it’s just logistics of where the dog goes in the car with two adults and a car seat that’s the issue for op?