Our 2 DGDs live about 1 hour away by car. We see them every few weeks as they are both at school now and do a lot at weekends. We always see them for birthdays and we are together somewhere, their house, our house, Auntiy's house or rented cottage, at Christmas. We also all go away together in the spring or summer.
Besides that they come to stay on their own and get spoiled.
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Grandparenting
How often do you see your grandchildren?
(68 Posts)We've been asked to comment on this bit of research showing that over half of grandparents only see their grandchildren once a year. www.express.co.uk/news/uk/698997/grandparents-grandchildren-visit-relatives-family-once-year
Do you see your grandchildren as often as you would like? If not, why not? Is it busy lives, location, family issues that keep you from seeing them more frequently?
Would love to have your thoughts. Thanks
Allow me to be picky and touchy about this....
Define see.
I see my American grandchildren most weeks, but haven't been with them for 3 years, because travelling is so expensive., but will be with them soon
I see my London grandchild most weeks, but am with her 2/3 times a year.
Jane10 - no, not sounding smug at all. Just very fortunate.
Only have one granddaughter aged five years. She is currently spending the summer with her father in the USA so I have only seen her on Skype a couple of times since she has been away.
When she returns, I will see her every day as I collect her from school and have her for the weekends whilst her mum (DD2) works.
Can't wait to have her back again, she's my sunshine.☀️
4 of my GC live within 10 minutes of us - we look after 2 of them (on separate days) every week; and the other 2 are in and out, so we see them at least once a week.
3 of them live 125 miles away and we see them about 4 times a year.
We will be on holiday with all 7 of them at the end of this month.
I have 1 five year old GS. I see him about once a fortnight- but would love to see him more often. I'm moving a bit closer to them in Sept so may be able to do the walk to and from school sometimes but I work full time so not always easy.
I'm about to spend 10 whole days with him and his Mum & Dad - can't wait!
We have 4 grandchildren . The two youngest ones we see several times a week, take swimming one a week and have them at ours for regular sleepovers.
The 2 older ones we see once every 3/4 weeks due to school and sports commitments. They too phone to ask for sleepovers which we do every holiday.
They all live within 20 mins of us.
We have one granddaughter. We see her less now that she is 16 but we see her quite often. We saw her yesterday and today
See in this context means physically in their presence , I presume Not Skype or similar
More than enough most of the time GS1 4 days a week after school, GS2 ditto after pre school, and GS3 probably a couple of times a week.
Fortunately our DD1 lives about 15 mins walk away so we see our FOUR! Lovely GC regularly. The eldest two are now more independent but our car, which they are insured to drive, ensures we "see" them reasonably regularly. DD says she and DH are like the Queen; they had two "batches" 10 years apart. So we frequently collect youngest two from school.
DD2 lives 3 hours away and produced their lovely DD nearly 3 years ago. At choir I was just saying, in conversation, that I miss regular contact like with the others as she's so far away. Then realised. . . . . .the ladies around me had DGC in NZ, Oz, Saudi, Dhubai, Singapore so I apologised and shut up. We do all share each other's joy and pride though in our DGC whether in person or on face time.
So we're not being smug just very, very grateful.
My dear sister, sadly lost her husband at only 55. Their two sons are both high flyers and she and I dreaded that they would have to fly far from the nest. But no, wonder of wonders, they both have high faluting international jobs not far away so she is able to see her DGS regularly. It is bittersweet, of course, her DH is missing so much but they give her so much pleasure.
My daughter and grandchildren live abroad, and usually visit us each summer for 2 or 3 weeks. I also go and visit them during winter months, it is too costly to go more often so I do see them twice a year.
New grandchild in UK is about an hours drive away and so far have seen her usually weekly.
See the 2 who live close every day, 3 live in Ireland 2 or 3 times a year, and the 2 in NZ every 5 years
We see our DGC two or three times a year but usually for several days at a time. They are always very happy to see us and we all enjoy catching up with each other.
We are welcome to go whenever we want but it is a long way and limited energy and finances also come into the equation.
Three grandchildren. As a routine see, i.e. spend time with, two ( 20 minutes away) for a couple of hours every two weeks, the other (an hour away) for half a day every two weeks. Increased if we provide ad hoc care for work needs, parents evening out or in school holidays. Also if we are invited to spend more time or there is a special occasion.
I saw mine more before they grew into teenagers. Now its about every 6 eeeks but they are only interested in themselves and to be honest I enjoy seeing my daughters more!
I see the grandchildren who live in Sydney once a year for about 8 weeks. The 2 who live in Berkshire, I have not seen since April but usually see them about 4 or 5x a year for a few days at a time and the 2 who live in Wiltshire I saw a month ago and probably see 4 or 5 times a year as well. This is why I am selling up and moving south, downsizing and hoping to spend longer in Oz and the rest of the time near the English 'lot'. My DD's and SiL's lead such busy lives that travelling 'home' 500/12000 miles to see Mum is becoming an effort not to mention tedious and I, in turn, am fed up and exhausted with constantly travelling south in order to see them. hmm and hrrmph!
When I first saw this thread I decided to avoid it as, being estranged from daughter, I don't get to see my DGS's at all. So maybe the posts here are not a real picture of what is going on as others might decide not to post if they too are estranged and it is too painful to post on a thread about lucky GP's seeing their GC.
Before the estrangement I would see the children about 3 times a year, all at my doing, travelling etc as my daughter didn't come to see me often at all, even though they only live 60 miles away. She couldn't cope with her son on the train apparently.
Rubylady how very sad for you. Family relationships can cause such distress.
I have often wished I didn't have the burden of my sister who has caused problems all my life, however I have stuck with her and tried my best and know when she dies in an odd way I will miss her.
Several times a week for me too. I feel so lucky that they look at mine and DH's house as their own . They have their own room here and their own clothes, toys etc.
We live abroad about 800 miles away- so see them about 5 to 6 times a year- here- there or meet up for holidays in the UK or in Europe.
Very lucky in that we look after DGS2 (45 minutes away) two days a week and see DGS1 and DGS3 (20 minutes away) usually at least once a week, occasionally stretching to once a fortnight. The boys are 3, 3 and 16 months and all three tend to get together with their parents once a month or so - we often get invited to join them all then as well if the meeting's not actually at ours.
We only have two grandchildren who live 6 miles away. They come for Sunday lunch most Sundays (with their parents) and if they don't come for lunch we often make another time to meet up. Also occasional days out, babysitting, sleepovers etc.
I dont I am a refundant grandma! once they reached the age where they dont need to be looked after because their mother worked I was dumped. They are now adults in their twenties and are always too busy, I dont even get replies to my emails anymore, so Ive given up. This grandma isnt just here for xmas and birthdays so that shops closed for good !
My grandson lives a mile away and I occasionally catch sight of him on his way home from school.-but I and his dad have been denied all contact with him for over 5 yrs.
Today is his 17th birthday!!
My grand-daughter(age 15) lives 200 miles away.We visit each other 2 or 3 times a year and most years share a holiday.We also have frequent contact by email and phone.
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