'Empty Nest Syndrome Part 2'

I have twin grandaughters who live just round the corner from me, the rest of my family are miles away so I see them rarely. When my daughter and son-in-law had the twins I was very involved with helping and I looked after them for one whole day a week once my daughter had stopped breast feeding them at about three months. I continued to look after them one day a week until they went off to school at four and a half...then i went with them! Was a classroom assistant in the Reception Class for five years . Continued to have girlies for tea one day a week...and still do.

Then there was the helping out during school holidays/evenings/whenever needed etc as both daughter and son in law work, (daughter part time)

However, since September things have changed a lot...they are now nearly fourteen and puberty and sibling rivalry hit big time during school holidays and Grandma is now 'old' and someone they laugh at behind my back and don't want to come to tea each week preferring to go to friends or a much younger Aunt who now has a baby.

OK...all this is perfectly normal and a necessary part of them establishing their independence and so it should be...but why do I feel so bereft? Reminds me of when my last child zoomed off to University full of hope and new ideas.

I know I will eventually get used to this new chapter in our lives but at the moment I don't like it and feel so old and abandoned.

Did anyone else feel like this?