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Are you interested in other people's babies?

(151 Posts)
Beswitched Wed 05-Jan-22 13:14:15

A friend's daughter is home from France for a few days with her 2 year old son.

Friend arranged to meet a couple of us for coffee so we could see grandson. He was a cute little fellow but quite shy. I played with him a bit and pushed him on the swing while granny went to the loo.

Other friend wasn't hugely interested in the child. She wasn't rude or anything. She remarked how like his mother he was and asked a couple of questions but just wasn't gooing and gaaing over him.

Grandmother has just texted me sounding quite offended that friend didn't pay much attention to her grandson.

But to be honest, this friend isn't really that interested in children other than her own when they were small. I know a few people like that, and that's just the way they are. They're perfectly nice people but other than a few polite questions, they're not bothered about other people's babies.

Just wondering, I suppose, if any of you found that your interest in your own children didn't necessarily prompt an interest in anyone else's?

Dolly3010 Mon 10-Jan-22 13:51:52

I love kids and will try and engage with them but I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. I’m not in least interested in other peoples dogs but try and say polite things. It’s probably the same

allium Sat 08-Jan-22 21:11:00

Not in the slightest!

Calistemon Sat 08-Jan-22 20:53:35

(Actually, I love my children too, sorry kids)

Calistemon Sat 08-Jan-22 20:52:49

I love my grandchildren.
I wish I'd had them first

?

MissAdventure Sat 08-Jan-22 20:48:50

Levels if interest vary from person to person.
We aren't all the same as grannies, any more than any other section of society.

Esmay Sat 08-Jan-22 20:48:42

I love babies ,toddlers and children - but one of my friends is the world's worst photographer .

When I see her she shows me hundreds of her unbelievably bad photographs of her children and grandchildren .

After two hours of it and the tedious monologue - I've lost the will to live !

Beswitched Sat 08-Jan-22 20:41:38

Germanshepherdsmum

Franbern said she loved it at the time but is different now. Why quote a post if you haven’t read and understood it?

I have to say, I found franbern's post quite startling as well. To go from wanting to foster other people's babies to having limited interest in your own tiny grandchildren is quite a jump.

ChrisK Sat 08-Jan-22 16:11:13

Have only just read this thread, must say I love babies very much, in fact all little ones, provided I can hand them back, certainly wouldn't want the day to day responsibility of bringing them up! Adore my own grandchildren too of course and love spending time with them.

Yammy Sat 08-Jan-22 15:24:18

Not in the slightest after working with them for forty years. We get a calendar every year of a relatives grandson I stick it on a shelf. I would never attempt to show photos of my grandchildren unless someone asked. Pre Covid I did not like being passed someones baby either.
I've changed when I had a number of years out of teaching and went to coffee mornings I was always the one on the floor with the kids getting dirty!!!!!

Germanshepherdsmum Sat 08-Jan-22 14:28:31

Franbern said she loved it at the time but is different now. Why quote a post if you haven’t read and understood it?

Anneeba Sat 08-Jan-22 14:00:03

Franbern
'I fostered many babies and brought up six children. Loved that at the time, but I am a different person now.

Worked in pre- school gymnastics. Mums would bring in their new-borns to show them off and always hand them to me to hold/cuddle saying they knew how much I delighted in these.
I did not!!!! But these mums were our clubs customers, so had to go along with that.'

Why on earth did you foster babies then, if you didn't like them? It sounds like you were taking in a parcel rather than nurturing a baby, where those first months and years are so vital to their potential and development!

HazelEyes Sat 08-Jan-22 12:07:41

My niece added me to a family digital album and she and her husband add photos of their baby EVERY day! I get an email notification every time they add photos.
Honestly I can hardly be bothered to look. The thing is it logs who has viewed the album recently and I feel I must look every week or so as it would look really bad if I never looked!

Shelflife Sat 08-Jan-22 11:03:50

Very maternal and have always loved babies ! However we are not all the same , my close friend never wanted or had children. So much pressure on women who decide not to be mothers or men for that matter who don't wish to be fathers. Some women are great mums but have no desire to be involved with other peoples babies . Live and let live, we are all different!

Franbern Sat 08-Jan-22 10:17:41

I fostered many babies and brought up six children. Loved that at the time, but I am a different person now.

Worked in pre- school gymnastics. Mums would bring in their new-borns to show them off and always hand them to me to hold/cuddle saying they knew how much I delighted in these.
I did not!!!! But these mums were our clubs customers, so had to go along with that.

As my own children grew up discovered how wonderful it was to have adult children. Never wanted to be a grandparent, but as those babies arrived, obviously had to be pleased as they were all planned arrivals.

Never been a 'doting' grandmother. Have done my share of baby-sitting and minding - but that has been far more to please my own children than out of desire to have time with g.children.

Am now discovering (again), that I much prefer adults and as g.children grow up am much happier when they visit me or me them. I have never imposed photos of my g.children on anyone, and rather resent it when people pass me their 'phones with pictures of babies/toddlers, etc. They all look exactly the same to me. I make a polite comment and pass it back asap.

Shropshirelass Sat 08-Jan-22 09:32:25

I don’t coo over other people’s babies, my friend does though! I love my own children but it isn’t the same if they aren’t your own. Give me puppies and kittens etc and that’s another story!! I don’t mind whose they are then.

Calistemon Fri 07-Jan-22 22:14:10

I do enjoy watching toddlers and young children but I don't want to listen to endless boasts about them!

GraceQuirrel Fri 07-Jan-22 21:51:25

Not the slightest bit interested in kids of any age. They’re your GC and not mine. To expect me to be all over them means I’d be done with our friendship.

luluaugust Fri 07-Jan-22 16:15:08

I do like to take an interest in close friend's GC but then I have known the parents and two are my godchildren, however, having had ten babies sleep in the family cot I am quite content. I also find my teenage GC great fun now and wouldn't be able to lug around small babies anyway.

Jeanebean Fri 07-Jan-22 10:32:02

Ha I know what you mean

Justanotherwannabe Fri 07-Jan-22 09:28:01

If GS is son of god, JG I presume DS (or DSIL) is god?

Beanutz2115 Fri 07-Jan-22 08:53:24

No me neither. I love my own grandchildren, others don’t interest me. Now if it had been their dog that would be an entirely different matter.

MercuryQueen Fri 07-Jan-22 08:37:08

Nope. I have a larger family than average, ranging from adult to single digit age. I’m babied out. grin

GrauntyHelen Fri 07-Jan-22 03:05:38

I love babies and children no matter who they belong to

Catterygirl Fri 07-Jan-22 00:20:29

I might add that I am quite okay with other peoples babies now I realise what’s involved. In small doses.

Catterygirl Fri 07-Jan-22 00:16:18

My husband persuaded me to have a baby at 37. The marriage deal seven years earlier was no babies. Didn’t want to end up like my mum with a new born my dad didn’t ask for and her begging him not to go to work and stay with her and the baby. Really affected me and totally put me off having children. My son and I are like twins. Think the same, laugh the same and know nothing but death will part us. Apologies for the dramatisation. I am a writer.