It's not a good sign when.......

Those words asking ‘ what are you doing at the weekend?’are never as innocent as they sound.

Make the most of it whilst their young - we often holidayed together and stayed at my sons house to look after the girls when they were a baby & toddler, so that they could go away for a few days - we both loved doing it and hubby often did odd jobs round their house whilst we were there.
Now their older 8 & 11 its much harder as they're all so busy and the girls have school and activities after school. Don't see them as much now.
Holidayed together in May though for a week.
I do speak to them on the phone most weeks and send videos (mostly of our dog which they love).
Often send a little gift if I see something I think they'll like.
They're only a 2 hour drive away, but a round trip of 4 hours can get exhausting for a day trip.
Must be very hard if they're living abroad.
Luckly my older son and his family are only 5miles away

WhatsApps are the worst as there’s no tone of voice to give a clue. An “Are you busy tomorrow?” usually means can you pick up/have overnight/house sit for the plumber, but I live in permanent hope that one day it’ll be “Would you like to come round for a meal?”

Slightly different, but I dread those calls that start with "now don't worry because `** is fine really, but I thought I'd better let you know that ...." Ooer!!

It's not a good sign when the telephone rings. It used to be our elderly parents, but now they are all dead it's usually one DD or the other. "Hello, how are you?" actually means "Are you fit enough to help out with DGCs today/tomorrow or whenever?" WhatsApps are just as lethal.

Yesterday's was a text from DS at 6-20am..
'Hiya, Could you please pop round to ours and put our central heating on at some point this morning. Double pretty please with pink frilly bows on!'
We're early risers and he knows it, so timing was no problem. They were returning from holiday and after the wind and rain here, the house would be a bit chilly.
They live one road from us, so no probs!
Then, an hour later came the text that read 'Could you get us 2 pints of milk and a loaf please'?
After I replied saying of course we would, I got yet another text.......'While you're getting our milk and bread, could you also get'.............followed by a shopping list of 53 items!!!
We don't mind at all, they work hard, this was their first real holiday in 3 years, and they'd do it for us if it was necessary.
Oh, and we have DGS overnight tonight, but we're more than happy about that as we've missed him dreadfully while they've been away!
I wouldn't have it any other way, apart from perhaps having a granny bungalow in their garden, so that we were even closer

Mine is " do you have the car?". Yesterday at 10 to 9, DD thought it was a non uniform day and grand daughter dressed in mufti so could I go back to the house to find the school uniform, as in fact it's next week.
Which I did.

I know it can be tiring but its lovely to be trusted to look after gc.
My daughter once asked to borrow money to pay for school dinners. Putting it in her account wouldnt work. I had to register with the school website putting in password etc. and entering my card details.

My best one (sent in February) was
‘Are you doing anything on 1 July?’
Even I don’t have my social life organised that far in advance.
We were required to babysit that Saturday evening.
Then it turned out that DD and SiL were going to a Queen concert the following night and we would have sole charge of GCs from 2pm on Saturday till Monday morning.
Then it turned out that Monday morning was the school Sports Day and we would be required to attend that.
Then it turned out that DD and SiL would not be back till 4pm on the Monday

We enjoyed every minute

Happens all the time to me too... to the point where I rearrange everything, book a day off work, then get informed, oh it's ok, daddy can look after them after all!

I always know when ours want something. When they all got a tad older (some at home some not. We have 4) I could tell by their voice and I would say ''how much is this going to cost me'' and they would say ''how do you know''

Two live abroad now. Two have stayed here. One is just 20 minutes drive away. One son still at home. No sign of him going. That's O.K.

Son at home! We usually have his son twice a year as his son lives 3 hours away. He comes down for a few days at a time. It's me that goes and gets him and returns him. That another story.

Eldest son and DiL have one son who I look after 1 day a week now to help out with childminding. 1 day is as much as I can manage as I have health issues. Other Gran helps out too. He does go to the childminders two days a week.

Other two abroad, don't have children yet. However I still know when they want something. With the digital age it being money is simple. Just click a few buttons on online banking and it's their.

Would I have it any different! No

I get texts fromSIL asking me to have 3 DGC as he has plans for DD and himself. It is always meant to be a surprise for her! Unfortunately, she doesn't like things sprung on her. I'm always discreet - and usually'available' - . However, for her 40th birthday, he asked if I could have the DGC (3, 7 and 10). I was willing to do this, but genuinely uncertain as to how she would feel about it, so I suggested that on this occasion, he should maybe ask her about it. This he did, and she wasn't keen, so he shelved the idea- though he hasn't let her forget it! I still feel bad that I intervened, as she has said that if he'd sprung it on her as a fait accompli, she 'supposes' that she would just have gone.
This week, I have done the school pick up twice ( once unscheduled ) and also minded them in their own home one evening, as SIL planned another surprise, - a meal out for their anniversary. I'm pleased to help. They are lucky, though, as many of their friends are far from family, and have no child carers.

Today's was:

'Could you go to Argos to pick up a present and, would you mind getting some wrapping paper and wrapping it for me?'

It's a good job I love her!!

Actually, her baby is due in 3 weeks, she has the builders in and her morning sickness has returned

Minerva I feel the same. My daughter is a single mother and I'm a plane ride away. It does make me sad. But we can only do our best.

Phone call that begins Muuuum.....just know it's can I do a favour concerning GC. Love it, happy to be on hand.

I'm not usually required to look after GC as DD built up a good support network of friend when DGS1 was little as I lived 70 miles away, now I live about 20 mins drive away it's more social visits

Yesterdays text was could I accompany DD with her 3 DC to a pool birthday party complete with giant inflatable at our local baths.
I was given the option of having youngest GS 5 at my house instead if I didn't want to go in the pool. Couldn't let him miss out could I?
Just worried now my hair root spray is going to run and I'm going to end up looking like some zombie!

And we wouldn't have it any other way

I don’t think they would ask if they didn’t know how much we enjoy having the GCs. It saddens me no end that my AC with most need of Nanny-at-the-ready lives a day and a night away from me.

I get texts starting "could I book you for these dates for both kids overnight?" Gulp

Happens all the time with me only son does the contacting. Sometimes it's a "wondering if you are doing g anything this weekend" start to conversation. He and DIL fancy a night out and could I collect GD and have her for weekend taking her back on Sunday. Only a 70mile round trip each for collect and delivery! Still I love it.

Now that my son’s children no longer need childcare, contact is few and far between. They are a busy family, with an active social life, so I have told him to let me know when they are around and if I can I will pop over, as it is only 20 mins drive. Apart from WhatsApp holiday photos, I haven’t heard from him for ages. I know I will get ticked off when we do make contact, but it takes two.

Just yesterday when we got back from a few days away in Wales DD Whatsapped to ask if we could have little one overnight on Friday, including school pick-up (later today) ten miles away. She mentioned she'd packed dancing school clothes too, so could we possibly drop her off there (twelve miles away) on Saturday morning at the crack of dawn?

Of course we can. No worries.

I do think we are the first generation of grandparents who are so mobile, and so obliging though.

We haven't got any grandchildren yet BUT we get "Dad can you take my car to be MOT'd?" or "Can you take these 3 bags full of clothes to the charity shop?" or "When you are out shopping can you get 6 boxes of cat food?". We are also the place where all their parcels are delivered as they are all out at work. We don't, of course, mind and will be more than happy to help out with child care if we are lucky enough to become grandparents...........fingers crossed!!

Sounds like they are paying the price too Chimaera, by missing out on you.

If DH's and my phones ping together, we know it is DiL2, she always texts both of us at once asking for a favour, can be within a few hours or months away. If she feels we might find it tricky, then she gets DS2 to text instead, and his only comes to me!
DD will text me for extras, we already do two days a week.
We also have one son with two children 400 miles away, sadly don't see much of them, and one son just about to start his family, so expect to get busier there!