on โ02-03-2014 04:42 PM
I love my grandparents and miss them. I think about them every day and cherish how much they enriched my childhood and young life.
However, both my parents detested their grandparents. They've never given much reason, other than my mum had to give her bed up for her grandmother every time she came to stay.
I'm wondering if it's a generation thing; several of my parents friends (all in their eighties) also disliked their grandparents.
Have grandparents become more fun over the generations?
How do you feel about your grandparents and do you get along with your own grandchildren?
on โ02-03-2014 05:40 PM
I loved my grandparents, sadly they were older and passed away when my children were small. My parents also passed away when my children were teenagers.
I adore my grandchildren and our home is their home as often as possible. My FIL has dementia and lives nearby now, so my children and grandchildren visit him but he is not the same grandad they remember. ๐
on โ02-03-2014 05:51 PM
Dementia/Alzheimers is the worst. Very painful for the family and god knows what it's like for the one suffering. I have had personal experience with this but it's so painful I can't even talk about it.
Do your kids remember their great grandchildren or were they too small? I hope you managed to get some photos taken with them together, anyway.
โ02-03-2014 05:53 PM - edited โ02-03-2014 05:53 PM
It's funny you know, when I got married my uncle wasn't speaking to his mum (my grandma). I wanted her at my wedding, and didn't want her to feel uncomfortable, so I made the choice of not inviting him. His very immature eldest daughter decided to leave me off her wedding guest list purely for that reason. The funniest thing was, I wasn't interested in going to her wedding anyway, so she actually did me a favour.
I just realised (and this is going to sound very rude) I did know my great grandmother on my mothers side, we used to go visit her in the nursing home, my mother would make me wear my sunday best when we did. She died so long ago though, that I don't remember her at all, and can't remember the visits, my mother just has photos from them..
on โ02-03-2014 05:53 PM
We have photos.
on โ02-03-2014 08:48 PM
My grandparents on my mums side were the best people I ever knew. They were like second parents to me, we spent every weekend for as long as I can remember, at their house while my parents helped them in their business.
They moved away when I was 20, my grandmother passed in 1993 and grandpa returned to Melbourne and lived with my dad until he passed away just 2 weeks ago. He was loved and respected by everyone who knew him and a real inspiration to me. My kids were lucky enough to grow up with him in their lives too.
I dont think either of my parents had much affection for their grandparents, I think growing up in hard times had made them hard people.
on โ02-03-2014 10:37 PM
Grand parents are very important but they do have to know the rules.......
on โ02-03-2014 10:59 PM
What rules, Crystal?
Are there rules for loving ones grandchildren and great-grandchildren?
That is news to me.
Erica
on โ03-03-2014 07:34 AM
@crystal**flake wrote:Grand parents are very important but they do have to know the rules.......
I know the rules................ I am allowed to do whatever I like ๐ no complaints so far.
on โ03-03-2014 08:03 AM
I have the nicest Grand Children, love them heaps.
I am am very close to all my grand children
I adored my Grand Father, not so much my Step Grand mother
Grand Dad lived till he was 93, he used to tell us stories about his life, I loved it.
on โ03-03-2014 08:04 AM
I have been given no rules and have my grandchildren regularly with no complaints. Saying that, I always respect the parents rules - for eg., I know they don't like too much sugar or soft drink so I don't give them too much. I know the eldest is not allowed on the internet so I make sure he doesn't go there. Follow the parents rules and there should be no problems.