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Grandparenting

Granny dressed in brown? Not this trendy Granny!!

(37 Posts)
Corryanna Thu 06-Aug-20 20:37:09

I've just read, with some disbelief over on the Grandparenting page (title next to Gransnet Forums above this board) that Grandma is lively and trendy whereas Granny is old and wears brown! I'm Granny as I saw lots of my Granny while growing up, my children spent much more time with their Granny, whereas their 8 years younger other Grandmother called Nana (her choice tho she had no time for any of her 7 grandchildren and her own chidren didn't like Nana either - maybe that's why she chose it?) was no fun to be with.
My boys' Granny always wore a skirt but that didn't stop her! She went up the high slide in the swing park to show the youngest one what to do, hooked up her skirt and wooooosh! safely down she went! She baked with them, played water games with them and guarded them with her life. If I'm half the Granny she was (and my own Granny) I'll have happy Grandchildren!

Fernhillnana Fri 07-Aug-20 16:36:37

My dad was always Poppa to all his grandchildren. It was the name the first one could manage!

AGAA4 Fri 07-Aug-20 16:22:31

I had to wear a brown school uniform so I haven't worn brown since. I am Nana to my 6 grandchildren and it doesn't matter what you are called it is how you interact with them.

Lexisgranny Fri 07-Aug-20 16:13:39

I was once asked if I minded my grandchildren calling me Granny. I replied that I didn’t care what they called me, and in any case if it was good enough for the Queen..... ps I don’t have a single brown item in my wardrobe, yet I used to have some when I was much younger - odd!

LullyDully Fri 07-Aug-20 14:35:00

I remember thinking brown was very smart at some point in my youth. However it doesn't suit me despite being more than happy to be called Granny. ( collectively we are known as G and G.)

MiniMoon Fri 07-Aug-20 12:07:56

We are Granny and Grandpa.

I certainly don't wear brown! I remember my own Granny very well. She wore skirts but not brown ones.

I thought that my Nana looked fabulous in the blue coat and hat that she wore to church.

BBbevan Fri 07-Aug-20 11:48:47

We are Grandma and Grampa. DH had a Granny and Gramps, and I had two Grandmas. One Grandma O, the other Grandma M . I cannot remember any of them wearing brown. Black perhaps. All except Grandma O were sprightly and played with us a lot.

Westcoaster Fri 07-Aug-20 11:22:31

As a young child I had 2 great grandmothers, both called Grandma so I have always associated that with being really aged!
I was actually quite shocked/horrified when a young friend told me her mum (still in her 40's at the time) had opted to be called Grandma.

We are Gran and Grandad. smile

henetha Fri 07-Aug-20 10:38:58

It's impossible to generalise. We are all different!
I'm Nan to all my grandchildren, or occasionally Nanny,
or even Nannykins sometimes!
I'm considered very modern, slightly hippie, slightly bonkers, by all of them.
I never wear brown. I like bright colours.

Teetime Fri 07-Aug-20 10:28:34

I am Nanna. My grandmother was Nanna and so was my mother to my daughter. It just followed on and I prefer it anyway. DS maternal grandmother likes to be called Grannie so it works out fine. Neither of us wear brown, no judgement just doesn't suit us either of us we both like colours.

Jane43 Fri 07-Aug-20 10:14:02

I only had one grandmother who was Gran to us. My Mum was Nan to my two boys and I was always Nanny to my first three grandchildren but the two youngest insisted on calling me Granny, I don't know why. It makes no difference to me, I’m still the same person.

shysal Fri 07-Aug-20 10:07:11

I used to be Nanny, but now they are grown up I am Nan. I have always thought that Grandma sounds rather straightlaced and old fashioned, which is definitely not me! I like to dress in colour, brown doesn't suit me.

seacliff Fri 07-Aug-20 09:28:07

I've not got any grandchildren (yet) . I wouldn't care what they called me, just would love them. Though it's a bit late now for me to be able to teach them back flips/cartwheels etc.

We all called my Grandad Pop, it was a family thing, so my children followed suit with my Dad.

kittylester Fri 07-Aug-20 09:21:37

Dh and I are Ma and Pa.

Our eldest was the first grandchild and could manage Nana for my mum but he did manage Anna.

My nan's husband was my much loved Poppa.

ninathenana Fri 07-Aug-20 09:16:42

I asked to be Nanna when our first GC was born. He changed it to nanny when he was a toddler. Now he is 11 (going on 16) I'm nan and the younger one follows suit.
I had a nanny X and a nan and grandad

Bluebellwould Fri 07-Aug-20 00:17:30

I’m Grandma and my husband was Grandad. My teetotal mum was called Grandma Gin (after her dog Ginny) and her daughter in laws mum was granny whiskey because she did like a drink. Each of my daughters in law’s parents are divorced and remarried so names get to be very confusing. Any name by me is great, at least someone is speaking to me.

GagaJo Thu 06-Aug-20 23:24:24

Really, why give a s**t what interpretations others have of what your GC call you? If that beloved child looks at you with love in their eyes, that is all that counts.

Plus, ageist assumptions allow us to get away with murder. People never have me down as a nasty control freak because I look like a soft and cuddly granny. Which I am with the darling boy. With grown men (or women) however...

Callistemon Thu 06-Aug-20 23:07:13

I think my bottom might get stuck on the slide in our favourite park. I did go on a zip wire, does that count?

Callistemon Thu 06-Aug-20 23:05:37

I wearing light grey trousers and a navy top.

I'm called various names but yes, as long as they call me!

merlotgran Thu 06-Aug-20 23:04:28

I don't think it matters one bit what you are called or what colours you wear. Pastel colours don't suit me - pink makes me look like a corpse but darker colours like navy, brown, grey and black do suit me.

Surely it's about attitude and style?

Lilypops Thu 06-Aug-20 23:02:26

When our first GD was born my Son in law,s Dad was already Grandad to his other GC , so my husband became Grandpa to avoid confusion, he certainly isn’t old and staid , at 86 he can still run around with them. Play badminton and kick a ball, I am happy to be Nana. As the in law is Granny and I didn’t want that ,
Actually I don’t mind what they call me,as long as they call me ,

Callistemon Thu 06-Aug-20 22:57:11

My MIL was Grandma and she wore a lot of brown.
She always liked to buck the trend!

Oopsminty Thu 06-Aug-20 22:53:32

Isn't it funny how people can assume something

We are Grandma and Grandpa to our four

But I used those terms as a child for my grandparents

A friend of mine said Grandma sounded terrible and Nan was much better. But to me, Nan, is just something I could never be.

Nor could I be a Nanny

Why?

No idea

maddyone Thu 06-Aug-20 22:50:10

We’re Nana Dog and Grandad Dog, because our first grandbaby was a Labrador puppy. She was followed by twins, and two other grandchildren. The name stuck, although the children do just call us Nana and Grandad often.

BlueBelle Thu 06-Aug-20 22:19:24

That’s alright calandergirl i m Nan on her own anyway
but I ve always thought Nan or Nana and Grandad fit together perfectly well I had a Nan and a derivative of my grandads name and then a granny and grandad but they always seemed a lot older and not so able
A name doesn’t define you I bet there are plenty of young looking grans and young looking Nans and vice versa

merlotgran Thu 06-Aug-20 22:08:13

We're Granny and Grandpa.