To move or stay put...

I would have to move nearer,, in fact that is what hubby and I did when I retired from full time work, (I was main earner)

when our first gs was born, no contest....even though we had to "downsize" from cost point of view rather than choice.. never regretted it.

but then we are all different

I'd move. You can always spend weekends in East Anglia. My elderly mother lived an hour away from me. It was very difficult when she could barely cope. We spent so many days with her trying to sort her problems out. She should have moved closer to me when she was in her 70s which I suggested at the time. Now she's in her 90s and lives with me which I don't like but she couldn't cope in her own home any more. I feel if she'd moved closer 20 years or so ago she could probably still be in her own home with me popping in daily.

Go back and bong with your family - lovely for all, and, you might just need them one day.

Bong? Bond!

In many ways this depends on what your husband wants to do, whether you are retired and how old the grandchildren are.

Move nearer to them by all means if your husband likes the thought too, but please remember that children grow up, leave school, move away to study or work and do not necessarily want to be near their parents and grandparents.

I mean, don't base your future on being close to family, as being nearer geographically may not last and doesn't necessarily mean that you will see more of them.

Discuss the future with your husband and find out what you both want to do - then consider moving if that is what you both decide you want.

My son and his wife are expecting their first baby, the first grandchild. They live really close to his in-laws in Cheshire. For me to get to them is nine and half hours, two trains and £200 . The luggage , me and my guide dog, and I can get lost in my home city.
I moved my mother here when she was on her own and it was not the right thing to do, she was a town girl and this is the countryside. I spent many anguished days and nights thinking what to do but if I go :
1. they may move again
2 I am blind mother in law is not and already close by baby sitting by me...?
3. How are they going to help me ? They both work and have a full social life they will mean to help but how cna they.
4. Here I know where everything is, I have friends and some independence. I volunteer and I have clubs I go to.
There is face to face technology, skype and yes I will never cuddle the little one, or see her walk or any of the other things . But neither does my friend her grandchildren are in Australia.

I will be able go once with a sighted friend who offered to help me., when the baby is born and I am grateful for that.

Hettyl How sad that you can't see your little GD. Mine lives in Australia, but I have the consolation of frequent 'visits' via the Internet. She is 2 1/2, and thinks that I live in the phone.

Good advice from NanKate - I know three sets of parents who have moved long distances to be near children and grandchildren only to have them move hundreds of miles away. I really miss my DS and family and wish they didn’t live five hours drive away but my life is here and theirs is there ...

We are all different, it is clear, and perhaps there is no perfect solution.

My DM, once we had agreed that living with us was not a specially good idea, moved to be near one of my siblings (but not in the same house) and she was able to help them with babysitting.

When all our DC were older, DM used to do an annual tour of us all in turn. 2 weeks here, 2 weeks there etc. In between times we would call on her when we could but it was my sibling who lived nearest, who looked after DM in her old age.

Have you thought of buying a caravan or a small Motorhome so you can stay at a caravan site near them for as long as you’d like/would be able to. Treat it as a second home. I live nearly two hours away from two of my grandchildren and this is what we do. In the summer holidays we stay for a couple of weeks to ease the burden of making arrangements for them to be looked after.