Well, that's done it , I'm a blubbering mess !

I'm welling up just reading this. My GD used to be heartbroken when I left so I understand how you feel.
She's 17 now and I just get a hug and dismissed!

Thanks for that , made me smile !

When we moved down to Devon 3 years ago our young DGD from London couldn't wait to visit. Sea, sand, donkeys, ice creams etc. It was lovely to spoil her when she stayed. A year later, in the middle of the pandemic, the family decided to move down here. So you never know!

I had DGS1 with me yesterday. He drew me a picture which looked like a blob in a circle! ‘That’s you Grandma, in my heart’. Had to tell him I had a speck of dust in my eye!

Awwwwwww…..
AGAA4 - I know the feeling - today I was just ‘dismissed’ - I was talking to her mum and she took the opportunity of running up to her room ?

Enjoy it while you can . My elder DGD was very attached to us as she and her mum stayed with us for some time and then we stayed at her house for weeks before her sister was born. Now her life is full of sleepovers , parties and sport and we are far down the pecking order. I am glad their lives are so full but I miss the closeness. I just remind my self about when she was little, sitting on the toilet swinging her legs ,and she said to me " Granny I love you best "

Not pathetic.

I cry of anyone I care about does, I'm an emotional sponge. You have good reason but, imagine the lovely holiday visits!

My DGC are in Australia Hazel and I miss them every day, even now that they are teenagers!

My daughter took my mums handbag and hid it when mum had dropped us off to our new home.
She begged and pleaded with my mum "please don't leave me, nanny!"
It was only 4 miles away.

I hope you settle in well. It’s hard when you or your family move away. I’m so grateful for WhatsApp and FaceTime.

My youngest GC, she is 14, used to be so smiley, chatty and loving.

Now she is rather serious, aloof, speaks in a much ‘posher’ voice than she used to ( different circle of friends at grammar school). Doesn’t really engage with us at all , only says anything about school etc if we ask her.

Bit sad, but they grow up, and Granny and Grandad just not so important, needed or relevant in their lives now.



Correction, we are needed when they go on holiday. That’s when we get a text from GD, asking if we can look after her guinea pigs!

I would have been exactly the same! I hope both you and your grand daughter are feeling better now.

This is hitting the spot....GD1 15 and GD2 11 and busy busy busy, parties, music, sport, school. Really thrilled for them but we less important, guessing that's how it should be but still miss the closeness we had....

I cried as I read your letter.

For various reasons I had my 2 grandsons (7 & 5) to collect from school and tea every day, for lunch & tea with mummy on Saturday. Eldest said as he left on Saturday evening “we’ve seen granny every day this week. Aren’t we lucky.” I really do need to downsize but I know I won’t find anything in this village but I can’t bear to move too far because I would miss them and also wouldn’t be able to help with school runs. I also cried when I read your post and hope it all goes well for you all..

My grandchildren moved abroad when they were 5 and 2. I thought my heart would break and the eldest was very angry with her parents taking her away from her friends since babies. I sent pacels and a letter every month and all settled down and now when we meet, so restricted during the pandemic, it is very special.

Where are you moving from hazel93?

My daughter went to uni in Leeds (2.5 hours drive from us) and has settled into a life in that area and she had my grandson 5 years ago so we only see them every 6-8 weeks (I also have 2 younger children - now 18 and 16 - so have commitments with them that mean a trip up to Yorkshire can't happen as often as I would like).

We are moving to the area in 2 years time when my husband gives up work and my youngest daughter finishes further education so we will be much closer. Although I am really looking forward to living closer to them, I think it will be quite hard to adjust to being closer and able to see them more often. My mum used to live 25 minutes drive from us and I didn't get to see her as often as I would have liked - the children were fairly young and I was working full time and so the weekends were so busy - but after she died 3 years ago, I began to wish that I had taken the time to go and see her more as 25 minutes really isn't that far away and I could have made a bit more effort. She said she understood we were all really busy but I think she would have liked to have seen me and the children more.

Tilly that’s the upside for us long distance grannies!

You are NOT pathetic! The bond with grand children is very special, and often very close. And the prospect of moving far away from them, with all the hassle of the new house to ‘look forward’ to, must be upsetting for you all.

My DH and I live 240 miles away from our 3 year old granddaughter but oh boy what I would give to live near them and see them regularly compared to every three months or so as it is now. In Lockdown we went through two phases of 8 months without seeing them. Of course we Facetimed but its not the same. I get so upset each time we leave them all.

I am very lucky! I live ten minutes from my DD and her children and always have so I have been very involved with her and the first two GC when she was a single Mum. Now she has a daughter with her new husband and a step daughter who lives full time with them and I am still very much around them all. The little ones (7, 8 and 2) love having Nana involved (even my stepGD) and are always sad to see me go, clamouring to stay over (the elder two anyway!) which makes my heart sing with joy and brings a tear to my eye! My 12 year old eldest granddaughter, however, who used to love to stay with her Nana, is more distant now. She is quite the young lady and, being on the spectrum, is very self contained. Makes me sad sometimes when I think of past days. Now she will (very politely) suggest I leave her alone if she is feeing solitary. I know that this is part of her make up and her getting older and try not to take it to heart. But it does bring tears to my eyes sometimes when I think how loving our relationship used to be.

hazel93 I hope you enjoy your new home.
When we moved after 24 years in the same house I was on the verge of tears fairly often in the run up to the actual move - usually quite stoical but in those busy emotionally charged weeks it didn't take much to tip me over the edge. Keep the tissues handy along with your best 'professional' smile, and look forward to holidays and sleepovers.

I would never use the word pathetic to describe what is a normal human reaction. I’d be more wary if this didn’t make you cry! How lovely to have a 3yo who loves her Nanny like that. Aren’t you lucky and won’t it be nice when she visits and you can show her all the joys of Cornwall life. Good luck with your move. ??

Oh goodness I'm in tears reading these posts. Three of my grandchildren live about 40 mins away by car and the other two are 10 minutes away. We have sleepovers with them all, it's hectic but I love it. I'm hoping to give them happy memories of me and their grandpa when we're not here anymore. The oldest two are 11and 9 and I know that sooner or later they'll be too busy with friends to want to stay over. So just trying to make the most of it while we can and give them all my attention and the best time.