Over enthusiastic grandparents

Pass, I'm afraid - all the friends and relatives I have are as enthusiastic as me. Perhaps a select group of like-minded friends who all agree to stay off the subject?

They are obviously besotted with their grandchildren, and aren't we all! Perhaps if you just drop that into the next conversation you have with them when it all comes to the fore again...something like: "Oh, I know! Aren't they all just so lovely! We're so lucky to have these wee ones, aren't we!" Then move on and revert to the original subject?

It is very difficult not to mention GC as they are such a large part of our lives, and as I live with 2 of my GC sometimes you can not relate anything without one of them being part of the situation!! I agree it can be boring for other people to have to sit through someone re-telling stories which we have found fascinating.

But from another point of view friends of ours don't have children and we are all very cautious when out that we don't mentioning them too often in conversations as the first time any of us bring up one of our children or grandchildren the lady in question and throws her arms up and says 'ohh that's all you lot talk about', but she has a cat and talks about tiddle's in terms of a child, but we all grin and bear it! They are very well travelled, when they come back from a trip she gets us all together to go through her 500 or more holiday photographs.

I've tried that but whatever we discuss, whether it's the weather, politics, sport, work or even the state of my wardrobe they find a link in the conversation to tell yet another story about their grandchildren!

Oh dear, glass, that does sound grim!

Before my sister had a grandchild, she thought I talked too much about mine. Then she too became a granny...

Think about it though - when everything is so grim outside our own four walls, perhaps we need to talk about things or people that make us cheerful and my GC certainly do that for me.

Dibs, I think you might be stuck with it. There are folks who really get very one track minded about something (it does not have to be GCs) they just don't seem to have the, dare I say, good manners to adjust the conversation to what others might want to talk about. Even with a good chum you are supposed to let them choose the topic of conversation from time to time. Its a bit like those hypochondriac types who bore for England about their 'symptoms' to the point you dare not ask, 'how are you?' for fear of getting the latest in graphic details. Just smile sweetly and let it wash over you, or you could take up something totally death defying (parachuting etc) and shock them for once!

glassortwo Erm, I usually start a conversation with my friend - 'Let's have five minutes worth of grandchildren news...you tell me about yours, first, and then I'll tell you about mine.' Out come photos and we ooh and ahh an awful lot. After which, it's all hunky dory because we've each had centre-stage. Works for us. As for holiday snaps by the hundred...stifled yawns and glazed eyes!

On the subject of baby talk. My son was forever complaining that some old friends became very boring once they became parents. Now that he is a father, it's all sooooooooooooo different. There is so much doom and gloom in the world, isn't there? Talk of our grandchildren, brightens the grimmest of days.

I wouldn't tell them, how rude. GC are the centre of our world and theirs obviously

I make a point of not carrying any photos of my grandchildren or great grandchildren so I can't be tempted to bore people. They are mostly on my computer anyway and I don't have the technology to print them, but my grand-daughter sends me some good ones from time to time, so I can have them framed.
I find myself in a difficult position, because one family is extremely successful and the other is less so and it means I have to be careful not to go on about how well one lot is doing. Oddly enough,the grandson that has not been able to find a job is the most highly qualified, with an MSc. His cousin did a degree in anthropology (why?) and is a very high-flyer in the world of conference organising.
They all read my Facebook page, (I don't comment on theirs) so I sometimes feel a bit hesitant to congratulate the successful ones, so I send them private messages. Families, eh?

I have toned it down with the photographs now, and will just share any recent snaps I've captured on my mobile phone. There was one memorable occasion when I took some framed photos out with me, to show work colleagues when we met up for a meal. Poetic justice, I left them in the restaurant and had to return next day to retrieve them. Not done that since!

Oh but it is so much better than talking about ailments! My best friend and I meet once week for 2-3 hours and we alway said we wouldn't talk about aches and pains but now we do! We try to get off the subject if possible.
She doesn't talk much about grandchildren as her daughter's 3rd child was triplets and she had so much work to do, helping in that family she is glad when we don't mention them. I can keep quiet as well now that mine are older.