Grandchildren. Nearer or further away if you could snap your fingers .

My four children live in four different places. The three with children of their own live in three different countries - how could I possibly choose where to live?

DD1 and GDs live over 200 miles away, so I’d like them closer please. If I could move to the coast I would pack in a trice and go skipping to my new house, unfortunately DH works here and DD2 moved close by last year, so I think I’m stuck here for the duration.

My eldest son is a half hour's drive and on the local bus route - perfect. My other children are at ever greater distances, including one daughter in NZ, so I would be very happy if they all moved to live near their brother.

Mine live 200 miles away. I’d prefer half that distance, so that visiting for a day would be possible, but I have no need for them to be round the corner. That would feel quite strange to me.

I’m often surprised at how little some families move about. We always have done. I encouraged my children to spread their wings when they went away to university, so I never expected them to live close. Also I see a lot of exhausted grandparents who are basically doing the parents’ job, taking quite a bit of responsibility for day-to-day care.. That doesn’t appeal to me, much as I love my grandchildren.

I feel as you do Monica.
One set of DGCs live in America, nothing will change that.
Other set live 250 miles away.
We could move, but we'd be leaving behind many friends and connections made over the last 30 years, and most importantly, DD2 and DSiL.
Besides which, the north-east has everything

I stay living where I do because we have lived in the wider area for 50 years and have a network of activities, hobbies and friends that would be entirely lost if we moved near our DGC 200 miles away. We also have a house in France which would be inaccessible if we moved to Yorkshire.

Rather than move near my DGC I would prefer it if they moved closer to me, but I know that is very unlikely to happen. I also have a daughter, single and childless and moving to Yorkshire, would mean that we were nearly 200 miles from her rather than 70 and she is as important to us as DS and family.

All in all. I am quite happy to keep things as they are.

My eldest daughter and 3 granddaughters live 3 hours away, my youngest daughter and 2 granddaughters live 1 1/2 hours away. I would love to be closer to all of them and see more of them but its not going to happen anytime soon. I have to be content with quality time when I do go and visit.

I have 5 grownup GC living within 15 mins, 2 more grownups about 2hrs, and the two youngest live abroad if I could snap my fingers I'd those two living close by but thats not going to happen so I have to make the best of it..
I love having the others within reach and have them visit fairly often.

All 8 of mine are within 30 minutes drive. We are very lucky.

I echo Welshwife!

Mine are 5 minutes away by foot. They moved back to be closer to us last summer. The journey to Glasgow was becoming arduous although it's only three train journeys and took about 2 hours. I love having them so close. The youngest is here keeping me company tonight. ??

I was living in another country when the first one came along. 2 years later when the 2nd was on the way I knew that I couldn't bear it any longer not to see them all the time.
They are 15 mins away by car but I would have them nearer.

We are now in a different country to everyone - I would have them all five minutes away if I could

I used to be 2.5-3 hours away. I am now in the next street Ilove it!

Mine are ( by car) 10 minutes and 20 minutes away. Lovely.

Mine are only 10 minutes away so just right.

With a snap of my fingers DD2 and her DH and girls would be 15 minutes away rather that an hour and 15 minutes away.

All the rest of them live within half an hour or so and that is close enough and far enough!!