Grandfather preferences

As a Grandfather, I get three of my Grandchildren to and from school every day. I also take them to hospital appointments and after-school activities. I set strong boundaries and won't tolerate breaches! Every other Sunday, they all come over to ours and I cook the Sunday dinner. Christmas Day, everyone's at ours because I cook the best dinner. DW buys the presents while I deal with the food. I never had a Grandfather, both of them died before I was born and my father died when my children were very young. My FIL lived to see them grow up but lived over 100 miles away and didn't drive. GF's are somewhat rarer than Nans which is probably what makes them special. I can strike fear into their hearts when I walk in with freezing cold hands!

My neighbours little grandchildren knock for me to see if I want to go out to play when they're staying with her, and my daughters friends little boy said "do you want to come up and jump on my bed?".

DGD are coming to stay. I've bought nice food and planned their favourite meals. I've put clean sheets on the beds. favourite teddy sitting on the bed, planned some nice activities. They arrive, littlest DGD runs down the drive towards my outstretched arms, straight past me calling 'Grandad*!

My two granddaughters adore their grandad /my husband/. He was always a really strict dad to my 2 daughters. However children need boundaries and he has carried on with his strictness is that a word? They know how far to push and are an absolute delight.

Mr C is the go-to for our Littlest who body swerves round me until he wants food when suddenly he’s my best friend . It’s interesting, Littlest does genuinely seem to prefer the company of men. I’m intrigued to see what happens as he gets older.

Cherrytree59
I know what you feel
I used to meet my dad at the end of our road when he came home from work and hold his hand, just feeling profoundly safe and happy. I can hear the echo of his 'tipped' shoes and 'feel' the coolness of his cheek on cold winter evenings.
He died aged 45 and never got to see any of us into adulthood.
I don't think we really value our parents until we ourselves are parents...maybe not until we're in our 40s/50s.

I disagree. We have three children between us, two of his and one shared, his have threeGCs. My other half doesn’t know how to be a Grandad with them, he’s a product of the lack of attention in his childhood from his own parents. He struggles to actively play wth any of the GC,s and they as a result virtually ignore him, we have discussed this and talked about what he can do to change things. It’s getting better now as they get older and have an interest in things he is interested in.

DH finds children very hard work and hates any sort of noise. They don't dislike him but are a bit wary of him. The two youngest came round once when I was on my own and one them said "Grandad's out so we can shout!"

My DH is the master of anarchic play, which our 3 DGC love, and also has endless patience with them and their activities, however small or obscure. It's not surprising he's popular, and it's a joy to see them together. I'm the practical one and keep things on an even keel, but I think they love me too.

I was not close to any grandparent, but my children are besotted with my father. They love my mum dearly, but grandad is the top attraction and everyone knows it.

He absolutely dotes on them. It's very nice to see. They always love to spend time together.

I couldn't agree more, I run round baking, painting, making things and Grandad just is. Guess who they cuddle up to. I don't remember my Grandads at all and sadly my father died when the children were young.

I posted this on another thread but I think it would be appropriate here:

Mother Christmas

"Where art thou, Mother Christmas?
I only wish I knew
Why Father should get all the praise
And no one mentions you.

I'll bet you buy the presents
And wrap them large and small
While all the time that rotten swine
Pretends he's done it all.

So Hail To Mother Christmas
Who shoulders all the work!
And down with Father Christmas,
That unmitigated jerk!"

The 'Mother Christmas' poem was created by Roald Dahl in 1988 for Great Ormond Street Hospital. Quentin Blake - also patron of Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity - provided the illustrations.

www.roalddahl.com/blog/2014/december/mother-christmas

I think it's like cats. They always sit on the lap of the person who doesn't give a stuff My GD's adore their Grampsie. I'm always bustling around in the kitchen and tell them off when they are naughty but Grampsie is always calm (quietly counting down the hours until they go home. I think it's like putting your head in the sand ). I think they could tie him to a tree, whoop around it and set him on fire and he wouldn't tell them off ! If they fall over and hurt themselves though they always run to Nana so I guess I'm good for something

That is sad red1
I hope for you, there is a better relationship with grandmother(s)

My grandchildren snuggle up to grandad on the sofa. It could be because he is sitting there while grandma is bustling about preparing their snacks etc.

be thankful you had a good grandpa, its not the same for everyone, some are distant, cold, aloof and don't give a hoot...

My little grandson always wants to go to his Grandad, but he does give him lots of tickles whereas I sit on the floor and play cars and look at books.

I close my eyes and just for a moment I can feel my grandpa's hand holding mine as we walk down the hill together ?

I think children often gravitate to people who just 'are'.
It makes them curious, and like most of us, they appreciate being left to their own devices.

Emmaline has got it in one.Granpa's dont seem to fuss, and are more laid back with the 'little uns'. If they are badly dressed, or need a haircut, we leave well alone. My g/c and g/g/c have added another dimension to this old fella's life

My dad was a lovely gd to my children and so was my mum.
My dh is a grumpy one lately we only have one gd who lives with us and she’s 18 and of course a teen. Gd is a bit of a pain at times probably because of his arthritis I know but he is so negative at the moment and it pulls you down at times. Hey ho.

With us it’s Grampie and the granddaughters while the grandsons flock to Grandma.

Maybe it's because mums tend to be the ones that do most of the disciplining and etc. so come across as the bossy-boots whereas the granddads have plenty of time to fuss and spoil the grandchildren.. just a thought

I never had any sort of relationship with any family members even when I was very little and then when I got to my teenage years we were evicted from our home and I lived virtually on my own until I got married when I was 21. Unfortunately he turned out to be a really abusive person and made my life hell for the next 16 years .. hohum! such is life!

It's a myth fostered by those Wherther's Orginial toffee ads......

Could it be that they often sit and just be?