Something a grandchild has done to make you cry emotionally

I'm not an emotional sobber but I sometimes think of the time when my grandson was a 4 month old baby and left with us overnight whilst his parents went to a friend's wedding. I don't know what I was thinking, but I left him downstairs in the lounge in the travel cot to sleep, but got up several times during the course of the night to check on him. At 5 a.m. I went to check on him again and he lay there wide awake, quite still - and I suppose because I was the first human to appear, goodness knows how long he had been lying there awake but quietly curious - I got the biggest beam ever. And when I picked him up, his little hands were so cold.

A couple of weeks ago, my 3 year old DGS, during his regular visit, put his arms round my neck and said, ‘I want to keep you for ever and ever Nanny! Phew, hard not,to shed a tear....

My young gd, aged about 8 asked me to go on her gap year with her that she was already planning as I was her best friend.

Oh Brum 12 ... how lovely is that! That's the kind of thing I would call on to remember if I ever needed cheering up!

Isn't it lovely to see such simple actions are the very things which bring us such joy.
My DGS, aged just 3, shares my bed when he stays with me (I only have the one). As I tried to get in without disturbing him he stirred then said "shall we hold hands grandma?". There we were, in the dark, holding hands. I thought my heart was going to burst with joy.

Grannyben. That is so beautiful!

Oh Grannyben how absolutely lovely

Today we had couple of hours with a grandchild from hell. He’s had a challenging few days and has come for a sleep over today. The day started delightfully, he was happy (too happy) to be with us and, as I had to post a letter, we walked into town and I said he could buy a small Lego kit from our newsagents. Dismay. The small ones had nearly all sold out and he wanted two £15 ones. I said he could choose one. Half way through making his choosen boat he started. He didn’t like boats, hated this one, wanted the other kit, etc, etc. Tears, stamping, screams. Full on. He hated us both and refused to say sorry. Two hours later he was still holding out in full flow in an effort to get the second kit. DH had withdrawn behind his paper and I retreated to the loo for a bit of a sob.

Took his dog for a walk, by which time he had subsided a bit. Long ‘chat’ about money, love and hurt and he apologised and meant it. We’ve now had a lovely afternoon and when I put him to bed he suddenly grabbed me around the neck and said “I love you nanny”. Retreated to the bathroom for a bit of a sob.

We are both emotionally drained!

I was saying goodbye to my 5 year old grandson and tried to give him a kiss. He turned to his dad and in a clear loud voice said “I don’t want to kiss granny” - it bought a tear to my eye not because he didn’t want to kiss me - but because he is autistic with very little speech and this was the first time I had heard time say a full sentence with such confidence and determination.

My GS, (aged 4) and I had spent a lovely afternoon reading, including 'Guess how much I love you' and books on Space, his current big passion. When I got home, I had a text from him (with a bit of help from his mum), saying
Grandma, I love you to Alpha Centauri and back x.
Good job the tissues were handy. I've still got the text.

Last week we had looked after our just 2 year old granddaughter. When we took her home we flopped on their settle and said phew we are so exhausted. She looked at us and got us both a footstool. Lifted up our legs and then covered us up with a blanket. Brought a lump to my throat.

Ii pick my GC up from school on a Friday & the youngest GS (3) is in nursery at the same site 2 days a week to prepare him for school . I get him first & they always have them playing in playground at end of day ( Forest school - very keen on outdoor activities). I stand by the gate & watch him for a while & when he sees me the grin on his face is a sight to behold & he rushes over for a hug. He loves nursery. It always brings a tear to my eye & also to the staff there who watch him with me. My eldest GC is now 13 & does not always come to stay with the others now so I'm making the most of this last little one.

I have 2 which show the bonds work up and down the generations. My own DS aged 2 running with all his might down the pavement trying to keep up with the bus taking me to work - wailing "Mummy" at the top of his lungs with my OH in hot pursuit.
My DF 2 Days before he died looking across at me half sleeping in an armchair by his bed in the morning, explaining to the District Nurse that I hadn't changed a bit since he last watched me sleep aged 3 - I was then 50!!
Both made me cry.

My grandkids are in Finland and each time we see them it's difficult to say goodbye. We have noticed that children of 3years and under do not understand where or why you are going and their little, confused faces reduce us both to tears.
"But you live here" the middle child, then aged 2 said one day" I'd been there for five weeks helping out.

The same child tripped over Gramps feet one day and cut his head. We rang the parents to say we thought he needed to be checked out. He shouted "I'm alright I'm alright" to reassure us and his parents on the other end of the phone.
NB English is his second language.

On the evening of the day the hospital consultant had given me bad news regarding my husband I watched my son play Joseph in his school nativity play. I stood at the back of the hall supported by my lovely friends and neighbours. They took us home and sat with me by our Christmas Tree drinking sweet sherry until late. I can still see my small son tea towel wrapped round his head clutching his staff and so unaware of all that was happening off stage.

OMG Willow...how could you bear that ...to say goodbye to a little boy who you knew you wouldn’t be seeing for so long. I’m crying for you right now! My ‘duties’ for my grandkids are many and time consuming and I often am exhausted by them...but having read your post...I will NEVER complain about them again! The one moment that brought me to choking up was with my grandson when he was 5 and he was walking along a wall coming from school...there was a line of kids doing the same...as they do! He stopped dead and turned to me and said. “nanny, will you always hold my hand when I do something tricky....even when I’m 15?”....I said that he wouldn’t want me to hold his hand at when he was 15.... and he replied” that makes me sad”. He’s coming up 11 and yesterday we walked up the shops together and he took my hand as we walked....I wonder how much longer I have !?!

I am a step-gran who has known all the grandchildren since birth, three out of four were born before I married their granddad. On our wedding day, GS then aged 3 called me "Grandma" for the first time ... cue sobs. Then yesterday I had a text from him (he's now 11) giving me his mobile phone number ... definite dampness in the eye area!

My DD lives in rural Spain and my 2 DGS (10 & 8) attend the nearby village school. On our last visit in October we passed my DD on the way to school so I jumped into her car and went with her to collect them. It was lovely just to be with her greeting friends and introducing me to people and all the nods and 'Ola' to other parents and grandparents as we waited at the gate. Then music played over loudspeakers and the children started streaming from their classrooms, my youngest DGS saw me and just flew across and hugged, and hugged and hugged me for so long that both DD and I were weeping a little. He can be as mischievous as a box of frogs but is so affectionate. I also got a big hug from his older brother but not quite as eager or tear inducing.
It was so lovely to see their school too so I can picture it in my mind, my other 2 DGC live round the corner and I know their school and have picked them up a few times.

Not a grandchild but my son. He was 5 when my mother died. A normally very boisterous boy, who was very close to his Nana, he was very quiet, no tears, tip toeing around me and so I gathered myself together to sit him on my lap to talk about how he was feeling. After my opening words, when I told him it was ok to talk about it and to show his emotions, he reached up and smoothed my hair back from my face in a comforting gesture and told me that yes, he was sad, but she was only his Nana and he was more worried about me because she was my mummy. Even today 18 years later I am filling up with tears over the fact that he was able to not only empathise in that way, but to verbalise it at such a young age. Still to this day, the one person I would love to share that story with is my mother!

Last week my OH took a couple of working from home snow days and looked after 7yr old DGD. She stayed over rather than walk home with DD and back again the next day.

After DGD had gone to bed, OH worked late, typing away, to catch up. Early next day DGD was still sleeping - yet propped up on his keyboard was a little note from her. "Grandad, I love you very very much"

Know what you mean Brum 2. Years ago I surprised my little GD by meeting her from school one day when she was still in reception class. They were living some distance from us then and she had no idea that I was coming. I shall never forget the look of pure joy on her face when she saw me and flew across the playground into my arms. I still well up now just thinking about it!! Absolutely golden moment.

Morethan for some reason your story in particular made me well up though I dont usually cry! Also Grannyben's.
I almost never cry at sad things and I feel so silly that I well up at lovely ones!

*Grannyben’ I was tears just reading your post. Too cute! My goodness these smalls can certainly tug at our heart strings can’t they?
My contribution:
My mum died peacefully in hospital on Friday. On the Wednesday DD2 arrived with our grandson aged 5 and the baby granddaughter aged 14 months. So that greatgran (nana) could see them one last time. It was snowing heavily and when they arrived grandson came into the side ward and was slightly apprehensive (never hospital visited before). He saw his nana in bed & was shyly wondering what to do. His mummy suggested he might just want to hold nana’s hand? My mum said ‘oh what lovely cold hands for me = I’m getting too warm in this bed = how lovely’. Before they left after their short visit, grandson wanted the loo. I took him and noted he was using the cold tap to wash his hands & suggested warm water might be nicer in this snowy weather before going home. He replied ‘no grandma I’m making my hands nice and cold again for nana’. I’m crying now.... ?

caocao that is so beautiful.