Dr Alice Roberts

gracesmum I was with a few grans flying about on broomsticks last night so missed it but will catch up on iPlayer.

I would also reckon that grannies and women in general were probably also responsible for the development of language. There are lots of claims that it developed when the men went out hunting, but in modern hunter gatherer societies the whole community, including women and mobile children, go out hunting and prefer to work on the principle of making loads of noise until the prey, unless it's small, is driven into a pit or over a cliff. Whereas you need language to say "The berries on the bush over by the big tree aren't ripe yet, but there are some terrific mushrooms just down the path." You also need language to bring up children – grunting doesn't work.

Oh absent you did make me laugh Perhaps that's why some, most men have a problem with communication.

I read in a book by Germaine Greer that naturalists had observed that it was the old chimps that stayed awake nights to watch over the safety of the sleeping group.
I often look back to post war times and think of the grandmothers who had to bring p their GCs even at my age. When mine have been for a few days I am so worn out, my heart goes out to the post war Grans who did so much after so many men had fallen as soldiers. On the other hand I think - If I had to bring them up they would behave better. I would see to that!

Yes, that does explain why we are "allowed" to carry on once we are no longer useful for reproduction. I have wondered about that.

Right darling daughters, I need another grandchild NOW!!! Don't want anyone getting the idea I am no longer useful!

I think, these days, when we look after grandchildren, we put a lot more effort in that, perhaps, our grannies would have done. It's just expected these days. And we see them, in some cases, less often so we feel the need to try harder.

I was looked after, of necessity, by my Granny, and I was content to play quietly while she got on with her everyday chores. I was very happy like that, but today my grandchildren say, "What are we doing today"?

I watched Dr Alice last night too it gave me a lovely feeling to think we really are a neccessary part of our GCs development and we are pre programmed to care as much about them as we do. So often I feel the strain of being what I call the "jam in the sandwich" (I have an elderly mother to care for too)as I juggle part time work, a husband, mother and granchildren but now I feel more comfortable with always putting the GCs first, I thought it was just me being soppy but it is'nt it's genetic.

Nuclear families are against the natural order as is the social mobility that causes young people to move away from parental homes to find work and start their own families miles from grandparental help. I was a young parent in that position as are my own DSs. When I was a child, I was round the corner from my maternal granny and my unmarried aunt and uncle. It was my second home. But my paternal granny lived on the other side of Scotland and was a very different proposition.

I wish mine lived closer.

Well, I think I do.

So do I jingle, so do I