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Grandparenting

outings

(150 Posts)
moggie57 Tue 21-Aug-18 21:09:12

today i took my gc to the seaside. they really enjoyed it .i didnt ask my daughter as i knew she would say no. we got back a little late as we missed the return train.should have been back by 4.30 pm latest we arrived about 5.30pm. d was fuming saying i went behind her back .yes i did as she said i could have them for the day and she knew we were going out all day . i just didnt tell her where ,gc were quite safe with me .i met my brother who lives at the seaside resort ,so there was two of us looking after them.when i questioned my d about why i wasnt allowed to take them to seaside. she said because of personal reasons ,but wouldnt divulge them .her husbands m and h take them out. and she herself took them to another seaside resort.so why could i not do the same.? i am really puzzled by this.yes i understand i went behind her back. but the gc never go anywhere.she doesnt allow them to be children everything is controlled.by her and other GP.

harrigran Wed 22-Aug-18 11:45:24

I can not comment on your suitability to care for your GC but I never do anything with my GC without asking if it is OK.
Perhaps your DD had a bad experience whilst visiting the beach. I never sat upstairs on a bus again after being assaulted on the upper deck when I was a teenager.

SpanielNanny Wed 22-Aug-18 11:51:08

I find the idea of taking someone else’s children on a day out, and not telling them where very strange indeed. Fair enough you may decide on the spur of the moment to pop to the shop for some sweets, or visit a park close to your home for an hour, that’s slightly different. But taking children to a town and their parents not even knowing where they? That really doesn’t sit right with me.

The fact that you took them to a place you know your daughter didn’t want you to, is quite frankly ridiculous. You are not their parent, and you do not get to decide what’s best for them. Your daughter doesn’t owe you an explanation regarding any of her parenting decisions. It is your job as a grandparent, and more importantly HER MOTHER, to support her decisions, and reassure her that not only is she doing her best, but doing a fantastic job.

If I remember correctly, I commented on a previous thread where you discussed your daughter’s & grandchildren’s bereavement? Perhaps some of what you describe as ‘controlling’ is her still navigating her way through that horrendous grief. Perhaps after losing her husband she has become slightly more protective of her children?

Apologise, sincerely and profusely. And for as long as you need to. You will have to take your lead from your daughter from now on, and be patient if the time you do get with your grandchildren is different for a while. You have broken your daughter’s trust and will have to work to build it back up, as long as that may take.

sodapop Wed 22-Aug-18 11:58:06

Oh dear things are running away again. Mental health problems, sexual abuse, slow down people.
I agree moggie should not have taken her grandchildren to the beach against the express wishes of her daughter. It seems there is an element of competition with the other grandparents but to do this will not help. Mother and daughter need to have a frank discussion about boundaries and trust.
I lost my granddaughter on the beach many years ago, it was a terrifying experience and only a few months after her father died, I have never felt so scared or guilty. The lifeguards found her and brought her back unharmed and unconcerned.

Madbird Wed 22-Aug-18 12:36:06

Well...if OP is a wind up, it’s certainly worked!

janemar Wed 22-Aug-18 12:58:38

I think you should apologise sincerely and tell her you will follow her rules in future, but only if you mean it.

If you do not sort this it could result in you never having your grandchild again.

bettyuno Wed 22-Aug-18 14:06:46

Why are people painting you as this disrespectful , selfish grandparent over a day out. I think it is your daughter who needs some lessons in respect. Stop babysitting for her as a lot are saying on this thread and she will soon regret it . She is lucky you are their to help . One day you will be gone , so she should cherish these moments with you and her kids should have happy memories of you to remember.

hopeful1 Wed 22-Aug-18 14:16:08

Is this for real. No matter how qualified or experienced you think you are it is unacceptable to do whatever you like when you have the children. I let my daughter know our every move and my GC send phone pictures and messages on my phone too so she can enjoy their day out too from her office. Be a bit more considerate for goodness sake, it might improve your relationship with her too.

GabriellaG Wed 22-Aug-18 14:38:54

Wow! Brother hung, drawn and quartered on supposition.
If there was anything concerning about a family member, I should imagine that anyone taking care of children within that group, would need to be warned.
If you knew someone had no driving licence and an untaxed uninsured vehicle, I'm sure that most people would let anyone who might be offered a lift, know beforehand. An oblique analogy but I'm sure you get my drift.

GabriellaG Wed 22-Aug-18 14:42:36

Jalima1108
One of many on here but that doesn't signify anything.

SSDGM Wed 22-Aug-18 15:07:14

You’re kidding right? What about respecting the parent of the children you are caring for? The parents set the rules, as a caregiver you are to abide by them, no exceptions. People are treating her as a disrespectful and selfish grandparent because that is exactly what she has proven herself to be. I, for one, hope she does lose the privilege of watching her grandkids, she has shown herself to be a dangerous person due to her deceitful ways.

Also, using the ‘one day we’ll be gone’ guilt trip gets old, as most manipulation does, and sooner or later it becomes easier to not see the manipulated at all than to deal with their bullshit.

SSDGM Wed 22-Aug-18 15:12:03

Previous post was a reply to Bettyuno

Arto1s Wed 22-Aug-18 15:20:32

OP seems to have gone very quiet. I, too, suspect this may be a wind-up.

Marthjolly1 Wed 22-Aug-18 16:10:32

Moggie57 i'm sorry you have been put against the firing squad here with a lot of very strong reaction to your post. Your day out was obviously well intentioned if not wise. I am trusted alone with my two very young DGC and we do all sorts of activities and adventures. My DD has every faith I care for them just as she does and is always pleased we've had such a good time together. Im so sorry this is not the case for you. Do try to start again with your DD and I hope she can explain to you what her fears are. Did she have an unpleasant experience as a child?

sparkly1000 Wed 22-Aug-18 16:38:28

I'm sure this is not a wind up. If you type moggie57 in the GN search box it will take you to moggie57 posting in April this year where she describes the difficulties between her daughter and late son in law's parents. The entire and lengthy thread can be read.
This may give respondents a more rounded picture of the situation.

blue60 Wed 22-Aug-18 16:44:02

Moggie57, just learn from this experience and don't do something which antagonises your DD.

Nannarose Wed 22-Aug-18 17:28:21

I think that most GPs & parents negotiate boundaries about outings. Like most, there's a number of places we might regularly go, and don't really discuss with parents, but anywhere outside the usual round, we would talk about it - not seeking permission, not informing, but opening a discussion.
It seems that a conversation is needed here: OP respecting her daughter's wishes, daughter being given a chance to say that she feels unhappy about this particular outing. I don't think she has to give a logical reason, but it might help her mum if she says 'I'm not sure why mum, but it makes me anxious / unhappy / upset - can you cut me some slack for a little while?'
I can think of many possible reasons that this particular outing might upset her. It is true that a loving mum may be able to help her over this - but best to respect her wishes at first, then gently support her in letting go a little.
And of course she will respond slightly differently to different family members, and even different places that they might go to.

FlorenceFlower Wed 22-Aug-18 19:14:48

Not sure if this is a wind-up or not, but I wouldn’t take our dgc anywhere without discussing and agreeing it first with their parents and I definitely wouldn’t take them where I had been expressly asked not to take them.

Would suggest that you revisit your NVQ course work and consider some of the themes which include trust, care, respect and ‘understanding your role’. NVQ certainly doesn’t include a unit on ‘doing whatever you want, just because you want to and because the other granny does’.

Sorry to be tough, but your daughter deserves MUCH more respect. ?

Ellie Anne Wed 22-Aug-18 19:43:27

I don’t inform the parents of every move when I have the children but would check if I was taking them anywhere different. I d never take them anywhere their parents weren’t happy with.

Jalima1108 Wed 22-Aug-18 19:46:23

Well said, FlorenceFlower - and others who have made similar posts.

I think it is your daughter who needs some lessons in respect
Goodness, I think respect for the daughter's express wishes is needed here.

Chewbacca Wed 22-Aug-18 20:06:57

I'm lucky enough to be able to take my GC anywhere I like when they're in my care; im trusted completely. Nevertheless, I always run my plans past their mum and dad first, just so that they know where we'll be. Would I take them any considerable distance, without letting their parents know? Never. And I wouldn't like it to have been done to me by own own parents either.

Witzend Wed 22-Aug-18 21:17:21

Must say I think your daughter is weird! Shame for Gdcs. My dd would love it if dh and I took hers to the seaside - only 2 and 3 but they adore the beach!

I'm of course assuming that you're fit and able, and not likely to be glued to your phone when you're supposed to be watching them!

Jalima1108 Wed 22-Aug-18 21:25:03

I think I would want to know why and perhaps this needs sensitive discussion with your DD.

Greciangirl Wed 22-Aug-18 21:34:29

I would just like to say that my daughter would be over the moon if I decided to take my dgs to the seaside, with or without her knowledge.

She knows perfectly well he would be safe with me.
In fact she complains I don’t take him out enough.

I would be most upset and disappointed if my Dd treated me like that,Maggie. And I fully sympathise.

mcem Wed 22-Aug-18 22:25:13

Because of my daughter's health problems I have tried to give my GC's some of the experiences she's unable to provide.
She trusts me implicitly with their care, feeding, holidays and outings.
Although I can't imagine she'd say no, I always run suggestions past her. If she did object, I 'm sure she'd explain her reservations.

luzdoh Wed 22-Aug-18 22:53:22

#moggie57 Sorry, I can feel your frustration at not finding any sense in why you can’t be allowed to take the gch to to the seaside, but you really should not do something their mum has asked you not to do. I know it’s hard to understand but she must have her reasons and she may not be able to voice them so you need to respect her. She’s the mum now! We have to step back as grannies and do what mum says! In many ways this is easier for us, not having to decide about things. My daughters have taught me a lot about modern child care. Things change with each generation.

You may need to let her cool down first, but do please apologise to her. It’s very hard for a girl to have her wishes about her own children overridden by her own mother. It is as if you are saying her mothering skills are in doubt. She should not have to give reasons for her wishes either because her choices for her children are her responsibility and she should be respected for deciding what is best. We grans cannot interfere. Please tell her you really have made a mistake and didn’t mean to upset her. But also, please, make a vow to always abide by her wishes regarding her children from now on!