Glad I'm NOT a grandparent

I am truly happy for you bionic woman. You have things the way you want. Tell you what though, you don't need grandchildren to drone on about something. Holidays, illness, awful state of the world. The possibilities for droning on are endless.

Quite a lot of assumptions you're making there bionic, about how I might feel regarding your post, what with being a granny and all.
I didn't get to my age without realising that there are many different takes on how individuals live their lives, which includes of course, whether one wants children and grandchildren or not.

Quite frankly, I'm not in the least bit concerned that you don't want grandchildren. Why you thought I might be is somewhat surprising.

Sorry Lillie - that's not what I meant and I realise, having re read my post, that it comes across that way.
Perhaps I've had a few bad experiences recently with people who have chatted about GCs, then turned to me and asked if I have any. When I say no, the conversation goes on and I express my view, whereupon I have received some unwanted opinions regarding how I feel.
I always ask after my friends' children and GCs, and am genuinely interested as I know they are important to them, but could we then move on to something of mutual interest? After all, I don't talk too much about singing, embroidery and trains (yes, trains) which are all very important to me, as I appreciate that you do not share my fascination/ interest in these topics.
I'm beginning to understand how couples might feel when people ask them when they're going to start a family, and they say they have chosen to be childless.

Bionic I don't find it weird that you don't want grandchildren.
But I do think it's weird to suddenly appear on a forum with an in-your-face post which goes against the assumptions of the majority.
Do you go on cycling forums and announce that you can't understand why anyone would want to wear Lycra and you don't want to hear about their latest bike rides?

I think you're starting a fight in an empty room. If you look at all the current active threads there's hardly any about grandchildren!

There are some members who are happily on GN and don't even have children, never mind grandchildren.

Members are in the main women over 50 who talk about many things and occasionally grandchildren are mentioned.

Your prerogative Bionic - but please not that being a grandparent doesn't automatically be a slave to duties which stops you from enjoying your retirement.

At the end of the day- it won't be your prerogative- grandchildren may appear one day- somehow. People can change. What will you do then - run away? Cheers.

My best friend came to lunch yesterday. She has two GC, I have one. She was here for four and a half hours and we spent around twenty minutes talking about our GC and the rest of the time talking about all sorts of other things. I have another friend who is not a gran, but rings me and talks incessantly about her two adult sons and what they have been up to. I am not in the least miffed if, as is quite often the case, we don't bring GS into the conversation. DD was thirty seven when she had our grandson - you really never know, bionicwoman. As for being glad - I am extremely glad to be a grandparent and I love it, but it doesn't define me. And by the way, I'm interested in trains too!

How did your own parents react to you deciding to have children - eg their grand-children???

ffin* I'm not in the least concerned that you don't want grandchildren
Me neither!

In fact, I have heard people drone on endlessly about their dogs; now, I like dogs, have owned dogs and am interested in my grand-dogs but wouldn't talk about them all the time and would become very bored if someone else did.

Riverwalk that is me and I love hearing about the exploits of some of the children. I have read a lot of NanaandGrampy's posts and I feel that I almost know her gc.

I also love hearing about animals but only on an "animal" thread or soop's kitchen. It would not be appropriate on eg a politics thread.

Btw I like trains too, not the modern get you from A to B trains but steam engines, old railways etc
Did you see that programme last night on BBC1 - 'Railways - the Making of a Nation'

It's not all Thomas the Tank Engine in this house!

why are you on Gransnet then

Jalima is that the same programme on tonight at 8pm on BBC4?

Well thing we all have in common is that we (including you bonicwoman) are all grandchildren!

Welcome.
Do you want to tell us about your dogs ?
I don't have a dog but I am more then happy to read about yours

I dont like dogs or cats so I will have to put up with my 8 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild poor me

I think it may be, Charleygirl, I may watch it again

I think Charley has made the rank of honorary Grandparent two my 2 smallest ones and she treats my rambling on with kindness . Maybe its through that rambling that she now knows who I am ...and that gives us a wonderful connection especially for people who have never met ...wait till she tells you about Tara...now that's a cat with attitude

I think you're starting a fight in an empty room
I like that Riverwalk
Must try to remember that!

It's a bit like the newly married couple; new wife is very annoyed with new husband and shouts and yells at him for quite some time. She then yells: 'what do you have to say then?' and he replies 'I think you've just had our first argument'.

Interesting, I had a friend who never wanted children but had two step children. Didn't want GC and wasn't the slightest bit interested in children talk BUT one of the boys has started a family and what a change, a dis now a doting grandma! I love my grandkids to bits but don't talk about the unless asked and have plenty of other interests.

Understand more now that bionicwoman has clarified her post. I am like thatbags I can enjoy grandchildren without being totally immersed in their lives. Some people do go on a bit about their children and grandchildren but at least on GN you can avoid those threads. There are so many other things discussed I'm sure you will find something of interest.

I too wonder why you posted that Bionic were you wanting people to jump on you so you could say 'see people dont want to understand me' or did you want a wee argument with you being the wronged one Each to his own ...could it be, you do want them but haven't got any and it's kind of reversed psychology ' well I didn't want them anyway'
What would have happened if one of your kids had had your grandkids or still do have them, will you shun them or like all of us welcome them and get used to them with love and maybe be proud of them
I have 7 only talk about them to friends that also want to share stories
I have two friends with dogs that go on and on they also have grandkids but I know anything about them . I don't dislike dogs or cats but don't have any great need or want to hear about them but I politely listen because they are important to them

I too think it's a bit strange to seek out a website for the very thing you want to avoid that's the only bit that's weird
Good luck anyway

What a strange post on a forum for grandparents!

I just hope if the day ever comes when your children do give you a GC you won't repeat what you have said here "I do not want to babysit, or take children to the park, or have them to sleep over."
3 of my GC live thousands of miles away and I have missed the joy of doing all the things you say you don't want to do.

I don't think you are bitter or weird, just a sad person who wouldn't welcome a new baby into her family. A baby is a blessing.

I don't think it's an odd post on a grandparents forum. I think if we are honest we all know people who go on and on and on ....... [about their grandchildren]. Just not many on this site, but they are certainly out there.

I am a step grandparent with no children of my own. I have little contact with my grandson , don't babysit and certainly never give advice.

I don't pity you at all. Why should I? If your children don't want children and you don't want grandchildren everyone's happy. That's great, lucky you. You must have some very odd friends if they if all they do is talk about grandchildren and make you feel weird or negative. I think you need to make your feelings very clear to them. There are some posters here who don't have grandchildren, maybe they don't have children. Perhaps they join because they want to share interests with people of a similar age group.

Izabella I think it is a bit odd - although perhaps Gransnet is a misnomer - one would assume everyone is a grandparent but some are not, nor parents either, and some are younger too. There are few threads specifically about grandchildren, although they may be mentioned in passing just as one might mention their parents, their dog, cat, hobby etc

There is so much a person could contribute without joining on a negative note with pre-conceptions about what everyone is like.