Torn over Granddaughter

Give her time to respond.

At 21 she’s an adult and could quite easily visit you, if you are in the same country.

It’s understandable for you to feel a bit disgruntled about no contact.

I suppose it depends what your relationship is like with her , given that you are estranged from her father....

She should have said 'thank you' if she's prepared to accept the gift.

And what he has told her. About you.
And told her what to do and say, and what to not do and say.

And how often in the past she has already said thank you.[though saying it every time is not out an out of the way thing to do.].

She's 21 fancythat; old enough to think and speak for herself especially as her 15 year old brother seems to be able too.

Does she actually have access to the money or is it still basically in your control?

If you are giving in order to get 'thank you' messages then maybe stop doing so if it's a 'bother'?

If you just want your granddaughter to benefit from your generosity, then carry on, and if the relationship with your son is ever repaired she will know you were always there for her.

She must be in a difficult position, and we can't possibly know what has happened between the various parties, so it's impossible to advise.

She hasn't actually got the money, we have two accounts that we put money into each birthday and Christmas ( she isn't desperate for it - her parents are taking her to New York as one of her gifts, I've never been able to compete with the presents they both receive) I have always sent Easter gifts to their house for them both which, again, she has never thanked us for but her brother has but they have moved house at the beginning of this year and we don't have their address.

No matter what she's been told about you , it's only good manners to thank you for a gift

Elless

She hasn't actually got the money, we have two accounts that we put money into each birthday and Christmas ( she isn't desperate for it - her parents are taking her to New York as one of her gifts, I've never been able to compete with the presents they both receive) I have always sent Easter gifts to their house for them both which, again, she has never thanked us for but her brother has but they have moved house at the beginning of this year and we don't have their address.

How to you now make contact? WhatsApp?

Why have you not given her the money? She is now 21.

Do you not actually have proper contact with them?

What a horrible situation.

I agree pably.

If shes 21 isn't that an appropriate time to be giving her whatever you have put aside for her.

I can see why you would put it aside whilst her parents were in control but shes been an adult for three years now.

Maybe she’s not convinced the about the promise of money rather than the reality?

That's a good point Lathyrus and if her lack of gratitude really is an issue, when passing the money onto her you could also say you're doing so because now she's 21 you wont be putting in any more.

Maybe she feels you are trying g to buy her interest and contact.
And she is not playing ball.
Maybe she agrees with supports her father in his dealings with you.

Personally, now she has reached 21 I wouldn’t be offering to put aside any more money on birthdays. In her defence, she may not have had an opportunity to respond to your message so give her a little time to do so.
She is an adult and should be able to form her own opinion about family relationships without the influence of her father but none of us know what goes on behind closed doors. Surely she will know that you love her regardless.

It does sound manipulative to me.
I will give you money so you ought to be grateful.
Nope.

Wow, I'm amazed at the number of people who expect her, at only 21, to be able to be completely objective about her father's situation with her grandmother. 21 is nothing!! Poor young woman...she didn't ask for this gift & hasn't actually taken it anyway!!
And maybe she feels it would be disloyal to him to do so, & is now caught in the middle not knowing what to do . It was only yesterday that you texted her to tell her - give her a chance!!

Maybe she’s changed her number.

Her father won't have said anything to her, he has no issue with me just my husband but has chosen to estrange both of us. I thought putting the money in an account would be better in the long term rather than smaller amounts at various times of the year. We have left each GC a lump sum in our will and this will be given on top. Our other GC all have Premium Bond accounts and we buy bonds for them. They are overloaded with presents at birthdays and Christmas but we still get them a small gift.

When will you give them the money? Do you mean theyll get it when you die on too of the money in the will?

Its a long time to wait for your birthday money😬

I don't know why you expect her to say thank you for a monetary gift that she hasn't even got.

I don't understand why you give your grandchildren gifts they don't receive. A 21st birthday is usually the time when money in savings accounts usually becomes the property of the recipient.
I would text her in a few days; ask her to respond one way or the other: if she continues to ignore you stop sending her money, close the account, inform her and do with it what you will.

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She can't really thank you for something she hadn't received