Anybody still looking after Grandchildren ?

Was at Wisley Gardens last week with youngest DD and DGSs. A woman in her mid 60s was looking after a 3 year old. She looked old and hagard as the child ran rampant around the soft play area ?

We will only have to help look after gc if the schools close, but we will do it. DS is a police officer and dil is a paediatric community nurse, so along with most parents aren’t in a position to have time off work.

Neither of us have any health problems, aged 64 and 68, so we will be happy to help them.

On another note, my dad is 91, lives alone nearby, has Altzheimer’s and my sister and I will have no choice but to carry on giving the care he needs.

So many problems with community care, and I can’t see how it’s all going to work out

Still looking after x2 aged nearly 4 and 2 - at nursery. Still have to go to work (NHS) so feel GCs the least of my worries. DH high risk but I can’t change my work - annual hand washing assessment due any time so have been practicing!!

Our daughter is a nurse so in the front line. We have no choice to look after her two girls 7 & 8. She has however, cancelled all their after school activities. Just plenty of hand washing going on here and I'm disinfecting door handles daily.

Had my grandsons to stay over at the weekend. Their school is still open and I work part time in an office where people have young children. So I don’t see the point of keeping away from my grandchildren at the moment as I’m mixing with people and clients. I’m concerned if my firm shuts and we all have to stay at home will I still get paid? I’m on my own with very limited income. I know a lot of small businesses will go under so hope the government will be able to help people financially. Appreciate health is most important but it’s horrible when you haven’t money for food or to pay bills.

Please don't look after grandkids if there is an alternative, particularly while the schools stay open. One blessing of this disease is that it doesn't seem to affect children badly, but they are very effective at spreading bugs, however many times you tell them to wash their hands!

Two of our granddaughters lived at our house for 2 or 3 days per week and used to visit most days. Now we can only talk to them on WhatsApp. It breaks my heart but my daughter has made the right decision, because she wants her dad and I to have the best possible chance of survival.

Dd is a teacher with 7,5 and 2 yr olds. We have them 3 days with one sleep over. We are in mid 60s and both asthmatic, husband still works. Intend to keep going until schools close and keep on top of prevention measures.

DD has just rung and said she will pick her children up - I usually do it on a Monday and Friday - but she works part time so is able to work fewer hours on more days to make up the time.

DH died at beginning of Feb and the girls and I watched him dying for over a week, so have been through a lot. I do not want them to have to worry about me, so am going with their flow.

If weather nice at weekend, they plan to visit and we all stay in garden.

Children are such lovely germy critters, picking noses and generally not observing hygiene rules!

Laughterlines, what a lovely sensible post from you I read.

I am 62 - I had my granddaughter from Friday to Sunday as planned and took her to her usual First Holy Communion class, and Mass. No hymn books, no Mass sheets, no holy water, no chalice at Communion (not that I drink out of it anyway).

My daughter moved in the week and they wouldn't have been able to manage if I hadn't looked after the baby, just giving him to mum to breastfed.

I don't go out much anyway so staying fairly isolated in general is not a problem for me. I have an 84 year old friend whose wife is dying in a nursing home and he is not allowed to visit her - very sad indeed.

My daughter has cancelled my help for next 4-6 weeks. It was three days a week. She’s also self -isolating her daughter by taking her out of school ...and herself ( both asthmatic ) . Don’t blame her.

I'm 72 and look after my two GC in a shift pattern, overnight as well sometimes, school pick ups etc. They are 6 and 3yrs. My daughter is in LFB and son in law in the MET. They cannot work at home and because of the shift pattern, no carers will do it. I have to keep on having them, don't I?? What would my daughter and son in law do if I refuse? lose their jobs??? So worried!!

Both sons have pointed out that if they and their healthy children acquire this virus, they are likely only to have mild symptoms or even not notice at all. They could, however, be carrying the thing, and unwittingly pass it on to me and DH. And the stats are heavily weighted against the over 70s.
So we have agreed together that our usual child care responsibilities are suspended sor now (big sad sigh) and we have bought wallpaper, paint, compost, seeds, wood etc for all those projects which we have Long promised ourselves.
(I'm very sad though...grandkids will be brought here to wave and shout to us from the safety of the car!)

My children have been lovely, they have aske me to self isolate and they will stay away physically until things are clearer. They have offered to come immediately if we need them. We have tall wooden gates at the end of our longish drive. My son has offered to put anything we need over the gates for us without coming in if we are uncomfortable about any of them bringing the virus in with them. We are a bit worried about it so we will all play safe.

We look after DGD aged 19 months each Tuesday and had her overnight on Saturday so parents could have a rare night out. Yesterday DH said we can’t have her for the time being as he has high BP and uses an ACE inhibitor, asthma and a very persistent permanent cough. ?. I’m a few years younger so not as concerned as he is but have to respect his decision. DD has decided not to send her to nursery on Wednesdays, other GP’s have her on Monday. DD is working her 3 days from home as of this week. Think I may go round and take her out for a while tomorrow because it is impossible to get anything done otherwise. Now DH is cross in case I bring virus home ?‍♀️

We have been told by DDs not to see them for the foreseeable future but we will Facetime and Whatsapp. DD2 is a Teacher and if schools close she is going to Home School four of our school age GC along with two girls whose parents are front line medical staff. At the same time she will be preparing work for her classes - she is going to be busy! We look after our youngest GS one day a week but this will be our last week for the time being - we have offered to pay for alternative arrangements.

I look after my granddaughters 2 days a week, they are 2 & 3. Neither my DD or her partner will be able to work from home. I won't stop looking after them unless I am forced to. If nursery closes I will be looking after them more.

Continuing as normal for now doing the school run and after school care. When schools close we will be doing more. Both in our 60's and neither high risk but may have a re think if situation is prolonged. Not sure we have the stamina for one thing!

We had planned to carry on school run and before after school care but my daughter decided last night that it was too risky and has managed to organise other arrangements.

Mine are at school but I help out two days a week with school runs housework etc. If schools closed I would do a bit more but not every day

I look after my youngest Grandson all day Friday and sometimes odd afternoon’s and evenings.!
My eldest Son has been in touch from America and insisted i self isolate and do not look after my Grandson.!
Also ask family and friends to drop shopping off etc.!
He will send me some money to help, which is obviously very kind.!
I am worried about telling my youngest that i cannot look after my Grandson and must be careful as i am unfortunately one of the high risk.!
I honestly do not know what to do as i am usually the one helping folk.!!!
Confused.! ?

We have our Grandson two days per week with a sleepover and intend to carry on.

Our youngest DD works full time as a Nursery manager, and our 3 DG are used to calling in to us on their way home from school for a drink and a snack, until their mum finishes work a couple of hours later. DD then comes to pick them up, and often stays for about an hour chatting to us.
We are both in the high risk group, as is eldest DGD as she suffers badly from Asthma and frequent chest infections having been a premature baby herself. DD doesn’t seem to realise the risk, and has already asked if DGD could join us in isolation once we enter the Lockdown phase.
This rather worries me on a number of levels, l don’t think l am physically and mentally up to looking after a rather fussy and sometimes stroppy 13year old, who has been spoilt rotten over the years by DH, and is used to getting pretty much all her own way! DD has also told DH that she fears that DGD would not survive if she stayed at home with them as they would be at such risk of catching the virus, So DH has agreed already to allow DGD to move in with us as soon as her school closes and we enter Lockdown!
I’m dreading meal times with her, she refuses to eat any canned or Frozen foods other than Pizza, she ‘Grazes’ out of the fridge, which will Probably be quite bare due to lack of online delivery slots and shortages in the supermarkets.

dancing feet. That’s exactly what I thought this morning. I thought everyone was going to say their not looking after grandchildren, glad to see we’re not alone, and still going strong for now.Hope everyone remains healthy.

Puts in all in perspective morethan2. I looked after my DGD until she went to school last year. She now has a brother but mummy is on maternity leave until June. I shall carry on my granny duties from June if asked. I would hate not to be able to as I had so much fun looking after my DGD when she was tiny I would hate not to have that close bond with DGS. Sad thing is their other nanny lives in Spain and was due back for a month at Easter!!!!! But when you compare it with what morethan2 has to contend with my worries are minimal.

We usually do lots of childcare in the school holidays. My DIL was recently made redundant and although looking for work not very hopeful in this climate so she will likely be home during the Easter break. We will keep away as my DH has health issues. Will speak on the phone and facetime and just get on with it. I think we are in a fortunate position but I do feel so sorry for those on their own though - they are the ones who really need to be in our thoughts. Stay safe everyone.