So disappointed.

Oh BBbevan she's probably so busy as all young (and not so young) people are nowadays that she hasn't had the time to reply! I know it's not nice but they all do it! You could always text her and say please let me know about the box or l'll give to charity.

Yes she probably wishes you hadn’t asked. As she doesn’t want to say no but doesn’t really want it and if she said yes and hid it you would ask her if she was using it etc etc.
Of course you are hurt because it is yours and therefore valuable but..at the very least let her know that you understand that it might not be appropriate for her course and if it ever is to let you know. Give her a graceful way out. And forget it.

The young are generally not sentimental and if your GD is in her teens she won't really be interested in gran's treasures. They just don't get it if at all until much later in life. My OH would love to have something belonging to his mum but only really thought about it in late years. Why not pop it back in the cupboard and wait, if she actually starts an art course it may be of interest then. When she says she is thinking about it, I reckon that means she doesn't know, is she living in a minimalist house by any chance? When you say you wrote I hope you meant a text or there is no chance of a reply

ah! she is 14... I have an 11 year old gd.. who doesn`t reply, even though her mum helps her with emails

think some gc have too much?

Are you sure she got your letter? Phone instead is what I'd do, just in case.

When you 'wrote', do you mean paper,envelope,stamp? Or email? I rarely use post these days, especially if I want a message to get through.

Sorry to say but I do feel a certain age group are like this, I think we have different priorities. My GD is not good at communication with her elders and needs nudging. I wouldn’t take it personally, I think because it meant a lot to you she may not understand how it played a part in your life.

the fact is in many cases, with gifts, or contacts, these things figure much larger in the lives of the older generation than the younger. on the whole.
the youngers' own lives are busier, for adults, or more interesting/fun, for children. the relative importance of things to do with oldies is quite different from the other end of the telescope. not that they would wish to offend or cause hurt.
but they just have other priorities. and they don't really grasp that time is passing.
and that when they have got the time to express their fondness, give attention to the oldies, it may be too late.

She is 14 Hithere and very, very bright .

How old is your gd?

I’ve found that I get stuff out to show them and if they want it they will say so, if they say nothing then they obviously don’t want it.

As other posters have said our cherished possessions aren’t always appreciated by our kids.

Poor kid probably doesn’t want to upset you by saying No Thanks.

Thank you ladies. On reflection and reading your advice , I will say nothing to her. Keep my disappointment to myself.

I agree with the ones that think your gd doesnt know how to tell you.

I remember when my grandparents gave me presents and my experience does not extrapolate to this post at all.

I would call my grandparents to say thank you and a whole conversation about the present would entail- what I wanted to do with present, see pictures of me with the outfit, etc.

At some point, the pressure of the expectations was way too much for me and wished I didnt get anything instead.

quizqueen do you have to practice at being unpleasant or does it come naturally? that’s the second harsh post I ve seen of yours today

I m in the queue of folk who think she hasn’t the skill to reject it and is probably a bit embarrassed I ve come to realise I can’t pass my beloved stuff on as what’s beloved to me isn’t to anyone else and I don’t think today’s generation keep stuff for sentimental reasons like we did, well they don’t in my family anyway, perhaps it’s just us
I would let it go and not call her out about it

Just read that she received the letter in March, plenty of time to have let you know,

I think if it was a while ago she was asked and hasn’t replied, I’d ask her parents if she wanted it, if not I’d pass it on to someone else who might like it, I do think it’s rude not to let you know one way or the other though

I sympathise, BB. DGC (and AC!) can be very ungrateful disappointing. Their lives are usually busier than ours, I suppose, so perhaps that accounts for it. Don't let it upset you.

* Callistemon* I think we have the sort of relationship where she could say “No thanks”.

Highthere I sent the letter and photographs at the end of March .
I know she received it as her Dad has said so.

I think I’d just check with the parents, that she received it. You never know...it could have gone awol in the post. How old is she? because you could ask her directly. Say you’re not worried, just checking, and then leave it up to her.

I'm one of those people where I have learned over time that I must do now or I will forget. Children and teens who are even more easily distracted than I am definitely haven't learnt that lesson yet.

I really wouldn't take it too much to heart.

All sorts of things could be going on in her world we don't know about

Callistemon

She probably doesn't want it but doesn't want to hurt your feelings so is dithering about how to tell you.

Exactly what I was thinking

My GD sometimes takes ages to reply. I would text her and say that it's fine if she doesn't want the art box and that it was just a thought but to let you know.

This would let her off the hook if she doesn't want to hurt you feeling by saying no.

She probably doesn't want it but doesn't want to hurt your feelings so is dithering about how to tell you.

May I ask how long you sent the letter?