dragonfly46
Stressful times?
Certainly no more stressful than our parents' parenting years circa 1940s>>
and marriages seemed to last longer then.
What people didn't have, they either saved for or went without.
I was lucky to have a mum at home and father who worked. No 'date nights' in those days. It's an American idea that some here have embraced as their own but relying on their parents to help out financially (often for substantial deposits on a property) and for free childcare.
If the comments on here are anything to go by, a majority of GNers provide a large chunk of both the above but at a cost, that being the giving up of some or all of their retirement plans and health issues.
I know that some GNers are happy (on the surface at least) to provide into adulthood, all kinds of support for their AC and GC but dig deep and you will find that some find it hard to say no. Maybe this is partly because they feel it's their 'duty' as family and do not want to be excluded by DiL, which has happened.
I acknowledge that lots of GPs thoroughly enjoy being steeped in the lives of their AC and GC, they have done it all before and are willing to do it all again for their AC, even, aa some have said, walking miles to do school pick-ups several times weekly, regular overnights, babysittinf, holidays, doing their AC's household laundry, cleaning bathrooms and kitchen and more, all in the name of helping out.
IMO, if you say nothing and become an unpaid 'nanny' and 'housekeeper' to both your AC and GC, even though you'd really prefer to do less but find that conversation awkward, then you have to endure the tiredness and aches and pains that follow.
Funny, that it's GMs not GFs who provide most in the way of support, note, I said most not all.
GCs are a joy, but they are not our children.