Heartbreaking to have a ten month granddaughter in Australia

I hope the OP takes comfort that there are many of us on here in a similar situation. My DS lives in Sydney with his Australian wife and our two DGS. We were due to go in November for a month. All we can do is be grateful that they are safe and enjoy the Skype and WhatsApp calls, although I did have a few tears on Christmas Day when I saw them with their maternal grandparents. I think the ‘not knowing’ when we will next see our grandchildren is the hardest thing for us distant grandparents, but that time will come so let’s support each other in the meantime.

Oh, I hear you & do understand.
Im in Australia & my only daughter lives in London & is pregnant. So while I'm genuinely happy for her & her partner, the GM in me says I'll never really get to know that child. I am of the belief that, its in the early years 0-5 that those connections are made, its like when the brain is forming & laying down that familiarity.
Yes, you can Skype Zoom etc, but its never the same. is it?
I don't see it as a tragic, my daughter is happy in London & I'd rather have her happy over there than unhappy here.
Keep up the contact with your daughter, I know of many relationships that breakdown with no contact at all, & thats tragic.
Try & take heart that your daughter & grandkids are in a (relatively) safe place.
Im trying to put on brave face here, but I still live in hope that she will come back to Australia one day.
I do hope you can find some peace.

I have a newborn grandson one month old, our first grandchild, whom I have never met. My daughter and family live abroad. I feel grateful for the daily photos and videos. We have gotten to see him roll over, hit his crib mobile, cry and nurse. I recorded myself singing so my daughter plays it to him so he can learn my voice. Have to make the best of it....

Likewise! So so many people in the same boat.

Another here with grandchildren in Perth, they’re safe, we’re doing our best to keep safe and we’ll all be able to hug in person later this year or next. Hang on in there.
I did my degree in Brisbane with one small child and another arrived in year three, only support was a wonderful husband.
My parents came for a short holiday and we returned to the UK five years later where the boys formed a wonderful bond with their grandparents so don’t worry.

FunOma The early days of the pandemic will be exceeded by the numbers infected with the disease in the next months (and dying). Here is a link to US statistics, up to January 1st
www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/coronavirus-us-cases.html Do scroll down the page to the graph "New reported deaths by day"
"The pandemic reshaped the United States in 2020. Millions of people tested positive. The death toll surpassed the population of St. Louis or Cincinnati. And even as the new year approached, the country continued to set records for cases and deaths.

I though US was still in the middle of a DEADLY virus where’s the information that it’s not as dead.y as first thought come from Funoms
you related to Donald ? ???

Living in the U.S. I am thankful that I can see and cuddle with my grandkids. I like to forget the early days of the 'pandemic' when I, we all, were also afraid of the virus that turns out to be not as deadly as first thought. Because of that, this virus should no longer be on the WHO A list of horridly dangerous diseases like Ebola, but it still is. When a virus is on the A list, vaccinations may be fast tracked if developed. And that is what is happening.
Personally, I am no longer fearful of this virus. I will abide by wearing a mask in the stores, but will refuse to wear it if ever it would be mandated out of doors, for sure.
I get a sick feeling thinking back of when we had to keep our distance from our kids and especially grandkids, and later meeting with them, but only outdoors and with masks. So, I totally get what you yearn for; the close contact with your loved ones and being with the grandchildren. I hope it will be possible before too long for you. Best wishes to all of you who are feeling the emotional effects of this!

My two small DGDs live in Australia, we have been able to visit them every year since they were born, normally we would have flights booked by now and I would be getting excited about seeing them. My other 2 DGDs live in the UK and we only saw them twice last year, even a visit on Boxing Day had to be cancelled because of the change from 5 days to 1. But we MUST accept things for what they are, we are all in the same boat and there's nothing we can do except be sensible and try not to catch or spread the virus. You sound as though you are making yourself ill with worry and longing - not good. I' m sure your daughter will cope very well without you being there, mothers manage much worse situations, as others have said, she can put her studies on hold. Try to make the most of video calls and photos. We've got the vaccine so (hopefully) things will get better soon. Look forward to the future - you can't change the present.

My youngest daughter and her husband and three children (7, 5 and 2) are currently in Singapore. We haven't seen them in the flesh since October 2018. We've just had to adapt to it; there is nothing else to do. This is not to do with Covid-19 but with their chosen life style. We haven't touched the two in London (6 and 4) for nearly a year and that is because of Covid.

4 of my DGC live in Wisconsin, one of the places in the US where the virus is completely out of control. Luckily, 3 of them are safely at home and studying by distance learning but one of them is at work. We just have to hope that he will be ok. We were supposed to be visiting them, for the first time, last summer and they were coming here in the autumn. Of course, it couldn't happen. So disappointing.

However, it's not much better for those living in the UK. My other 3 DGDs live about 5 minutes drive away but our contact with them is minimal,except online. Since March, all we have done is talk to them, at a distance, in their front garden. The baby, born in March, is growing up without us. I would love to give her a cuddle but I know it's not safe. Her mum and dad are both key workers and her sisters are at school. The risk of transmission is too high.

Missing your DGC is very hard, particularly when you would normally be helping out. However, you're not helping if you catch the virus and die. Hold on for the vaccine, and hope that the government doesn't mess up the whole thing!

lovemabub, is this your only daughter and are they your only grandchildren? If they are, I suggest you look forward to going there to live when you are able - absolutely nothing else fills the gap that they leave in your heart.

“ I do not fret over circumstances I cannot change.” Well then Harrigran, all I can say is Good for you! I wish I could switch off missing my son. 2 years now.

We all miss our GC. Some of us are estranged from them and that feels permanent. Its a weird time. Nothing you can do really. Send them letters, photos, zoom them. Its okay to cry at night. I've given myself permission to cry about it and grieve about the situation. Acknowledging the pain of the experience somehow helps me accept the situation.

I have 4 grandchildren new grandson who is 7 months old now and a new granddaughter due in March we were lucky to have seen them on Christmas Day,even though they are only 30mins away we miss them like crazy, I couldn’t think of anything worse than them being on the other side of the world but we face time and text all the time, I know it’s not the same as being there to help but at least they will know you love them and hopefully be able to see them soon

I have a son daughter in law and baby grandson living in Perth and not a day goes by without me thinking and wishing I could hug and support them like true mum and nana ...

Yes.... same here (family in USA).... it’s painful, I know, but there’s absolutely nowt we can do about it just yet!!! So many, many people in the same situation ?

There are thousands in your position. Myself one of them.
Our chicks do fly the nest and who can deny them any chance of making inprovements to or to better their lives. Not always however on our door step.
Think of your chicks, are they happy ? are they in good health?That is what matters.
Can you not link up with your DD? Skype?etc.If you know of any one who has links with overseas family they will advise how you too can be with your family in secs without stepping out of your door.Much safer at the present time.

Many people on here will be missing grandchildren this year. Ours live in the UK but are a 5 hour or 7 hour round trip away so we have not seen them since last February half-term. We all agreed from the start that it was safer not to meet up. In the meantime we have Zoom parties for birthdays, lots of Facetime, exchange photos and we send the children gifts to cheer them up including a teddy to hug when they miss us. I often wonder how my DF felt in WWII - he did not even see me until I was 2 but we became very close.

Thank you all for your supportive comments. It's true that Perth is one of the safest places in the world at the moment so I'm grateful they are living a normal life. And of course many grans have children not living far away like hicaz46 and aren't able to see them either. I'm hoping this year will be the one when we do get to see them!

I’m missing my family in Oz too. We would have visited them this year. As we age we worry that we won’t be able to make that long trip as often and have no idea when we will be able to go again. It’s hard, but I’m consoling myself with the fact that none of the family have contracted CORONOVIRUS at this time.

I think all grandparents are missing their grandchildren assuming they are not part of their support bubble. Haven’t seen mine for almost a year now and they live in the UK. They’re growing up fast and I’m missing seeing them and enjoying their company. The good thing is that we speak regularly online and I’m often their call of choice when life gets frustrating for them. I have also sent them ‘cheer them up’ gifts through the year and they have sent a few odd bits to me. Luckily, in spite of some health scares during the year none of us have had COVID and are generally healthy and well. Stay safe everyone and look forward to seeing family and friends again soon if we all stick to the rules.

Like you find it hard not having physical contact with GC even though both in UK. Surely your DDs studies will have been rescheduled especially being in Australia where there have been much tighter lockdowns than the UK.

I am in exactly the same position - 3 year old and a 7 month old who I haven't met as they are in the USA. Added to that we were told over Christmas that the baby has been diagnosed with COVID (I am devastated!!) although she is well and not too poorly with it. It's terrible - I pine everyday (and lots of tears).

Agree with Bluebelle we are fortunate we can see our families on FaceTime and Zoom years ago we didn’t have those facilities. My mother married my father during WW2 n didn’t see him for years relied on letters to each other. Been an extremely difficult time for so many people keeping fit n healthy im order to see family again a priority