To celebrate National Grandparents Day next month we have a GIGANTIC bunch of prizes in store for one lucky gransnetter worth a grand total of (nearly) TWO AND A HALF THOUSAND POUNDS!
You could be in with a chance of winning: A holiday A family photo shoot A car travel system £250 worth of vouchers to spend on diamonds £250 voucher for spa treatments A case of wine.
That's six amazing prizes, rolled into one, for one lucky winner.
For more information about our fantastic prizes see the competition page
Entering the draw is simple. Just tell us what you think puts the GRAND in grandparenting in the thread below.
Remember, you need to be a member to post on the thread, so register here
The competition closes at midday on 5 October. The winner will be drawn at random and we will notify them by email on the same day.
I lost my own mother before my children were born, so it feels grand to me that I am still around to enjoy the remarkable pleasure of my grandchildren and to still be around to continue to be Mum to their parents.
It's grand to have a loving hug as they come in the door, it's grand to have a great day out together and it's grand to put your feet up and have a cup of tea when they have gone home.
When my teenage grandchild contacts me and says " Gran, I have a problem. Can I talk to you " That's Grand When one of my grandsons sends me a link to a wrestling site. That's Grand When another grandson swops football cards with me. That's Grand. When my grand daughter sends me a smiley face to thank me for helping her with her project. That's Grand. When my grand child 6000 miles away skypes me and opens her parcel she had just received. That's Grand. For the daily pleasure these precious children bring to their Ouma ( Gran ) and Oupa. ( Grandpa ) These put the Grand in grandparents for us.
G - gentle, genial and generous R - a redoubtable raconteur A - an ageless, amusing accomplice N - nurturing and non-judgmental D - discerning, dependable and as delightful as possible.
Acrostics and sentimental comments galore but largely from people who've never previously appeared. Think it's sad that so many never contribute but jump in when something's up for grabs. I recognise about 28 names from who knows how many posts. No skill or thought involved if it's a random draw. If by any remote possibility this post is drawn I have no wish to claim a prize but would support those who ask that we don't have to put up with this trite opportunism for several more weeks.
To me , what puts the "Grand" in Grandparent is.....
the feeling of that little hand , the first time it clasps your finger, the bright tiny eyes , so eager to explore , the little tiny feet, so keen to grow and explore new places, the goofy eyes when they have wind , !! all are memories to keep hold dear and treasure For never have i felt "Grander" since these little priceless people were born!!! (I have 3 smashing grandsons, age 2 mths, 3 yrs and 4 yrs).
G for good to be able to be oneself and to be loved regardless of my faults; R for reaching out to family and friends to both support and to be helped; A for assisting the wider family in their busy lives; N for never having to worry _too much about how I look any more; D for delighting in the smallest of joys and the wonder of life.
Don't know why so much effort is being put into these posts, when the prize is to be awarded completely at random! So will this one go into the hat? Eh, that's grand, that is...