2 Grandchildren all day

Someone on here said "Where do grandchildren get their energy from - they suck it out of their parents and grandparents". never was a truer word spoken.

haha spot on

Welcome Heather. I do understand how you feel. I love having my 2yr-old GS during the day and overnight, but really do need a bit of recovery time when I hand him back. Haven't yet had the courage to have both him and his 1yr-old sister together. Mother Nature got it right, I think. After 'a certain age' we are no longer designed to cope with them 24/7. I truly admire those grans who do take on full-time responsibility for their GC's.

Yes I am exhausted but enjoy them just the same. I would not like to have them full time though. Great to hand them back.

I live with DD.SIL and GC and it can be very tiring having the total care of 5yr and 3yr old every day while DD is at work. When bath time comes around I am more than ready to have a sit down and relax.

Every day glass - wow, that's hard work...

Old age tells doesn't it!! I looked after 2 of my grandchildren, in their home 20 miles away, for one day a week until July. Start time was 8am which was a killer. It takes me two cups of tea to get going but had to fit them in between a shower, blowdrying etc. If I hadn't got anything in the freezer to leave to thaw, it was definitely a take-away by the time I got back. The upside was the 40 minutes each way of personal space! This term should be easier as the eldest has started school so I will only have the younger one. I really enjoy having them but feel like a piece of chewed string after!

Every Monday, my little great-grandson (15 months) comes for tea - his mum and auntie bring him! However, that's where their 'input' seems to end! I dash about like a blue-a...d fly trying to fend him off from horrendous injuries which could happen - corners of furniture, the stone kitchen floor where he could fall and bang his head, the oven door which is still hot perhaps? I never worried like that about my children, but I did when I looked after my grandchildren. I used to drive at a snail's pace even though they were tightly strapped in at the back and playing quite happily.....no wonder our hair goes white!!!

glass well done, I'm not sure I could do that without tranquilisers!

Heather.......where on earth are these serene and untroubled Grannies? Are you sure they are real?

They are definitely the ones who found a supply of Happy Pills.

Yup these serene and untroubled Grannies bother me too. Rushed over to D early on Saturday with husband to help look after 3 year old prima donna and 1 year old rising rugby star as both had been up since 4.30 and mum as I have said before, on her own for 2 months. They run her ragged at the moment (especially the 1 year old who we call Conan the Destroyer because he does, destroy everything that is - today it was a coffee pot dragged from the cupboard - yesterday he tried the cats food). Daughter wants to know how she and her brother managed to grow to adulthood without being abandoned somewhere - I said love conquers all! I help with the kids but don't 'childmind' - I said to her that I enjoy my grandchildren because I can leave them behind - your own children are hard work because you are responsible 24/7. Anyway at the moment we are at the stage of elderly parents in care one end and daughter and kids at the other -fortunately have today off so think its a glass or two tonight...

We used to feel exhausted having one 4.5 year old for a full day a week, never mind two GC! He would stay the night before and be awake and raring to go at 6.30 a.m.! Then swimming, football in the park, running round playing batman or building assault courses for his action men. We hit the bottle as soon as Daddy had taken him home! He's a darling, but he never pauses for breath. But now he has gone to school (first day today!) and we will really miss having him around during the week. It's been awfully quiet today....

I find it soooo much easier looking after them in their own home. I have been looking after my two granddaughters since they were both 11 months old for three days a week, and also had my grandson for one day a week for a year from when he was 11 months old. A one and two year old together all day is hard work. I also worked around the times I babysat up until the end of last year.
I feel exhausted and over worked and I could do with some happy pills. I look at these serene grandmothers with envy.
This morning my three year old granddaughter turned around to walk back while we were crossing at the lights to have another turn at pressing the button. For a few seconds she was deciding if she was just going to stand in the middle of the road and not budge. The people waiting in their cars must have been looking at us wondering if we were ever going to get out of their way. When we walked back this afternoon to pick up the oldest granddaughter, miss 3 stopped again in the middle of the road and held up her hands to make sure the people waiting in their cars didn't proceed over the crossing while we were still on it. I think she has a future as a lolly pop lady when she grows up!

My lot have just gone. Escorted them to the bus stop and waved them away, with little great-grandson making a valiant effort to do so through his buggy's plastic raincover. I seem to be smelling of jam and gravy. 'Shut the Door They're Coming Through the Window' is his latest preferred song that I must sing to him (frequently), with him bouncing up and down on my tummy in time to my croaking. As I sit here, I'm looking out of the window at my beautiful oak tree at the bottom of the garden being blown to blazes - I do so hope it's still there in the morning. Meanwhile, I'll have a nice cup of tea.... !!

I'm sooooo glad I'm not the only one to feel shattered. Every week I have a 2.5 year old one day and her two cousins [4.5 and 7 next week] the following day. Each has their own personality and we all know each other well. I love them dearly but there are moments when I could bang their heads together; fortunately though very few as overall they are lovely children. With all having different interests I feel I do a juggling act each week and its that, together with being on my knees [literally] that is so exhausting. Luckily DH is a fantastic GD and takes the pressure off when he can. The week comes round VERY quickly and I enjoy getting on with my own projects, but I keep reminding myself that they're not little for very long. It's the school holidays that are difficult - but I remember feeling that as a parent!!!!

Thanks guys for reassuring me - I am not the only one!!! What about this? Am I the only one who wakes up at 5am for no good reason I can think of?

Maybe they are just putting on a brave face - I see them in the park

I agree with Faye. It's much easier in their own home. When they are with me I worry that they will bang heads on the fireplace, fall down the stairs etc. I know that they can do that at home but somehow that doesn't seem as worrying and I open the wine when I get home. Still love all of them though.

No, you certainly aren't - and isn't it an absolute b****r trying to get back to sleep again!

I know and when you do actually doze off again the sleep is so deep for half an hour that you feel ghastly when the alarm goes off - fortunately it didn't happen on a day the beautiful little grandchildren were coming!

oh Artygran - that's going to happen to me next week. He's off to big school and can't wait. At least I can pick him up from school one afternoon a week but I've looked after him 1 day a week since he was 3 months old - I feel a sob coming!

Sob away! Keep me company! Went with DD to collect him from school on Tuesday - when I saw him in his school uniform I had to turn away and get rid of the tears in my eyes! Still, there are always the school holidays!

I hope you don't mind me resurrecting this thread. My youngest daughter has just gone back to a very well paid job after maternity leave. She is working 3 days a week until New Year..then full time. She asked me if I would look after now 9 mth old GS every Tues & Wed and after Christmas Tues & Thurs. I have done 1 day of my 4th week of looking after him and although he is adorable and has been such a good baby I am finding the whole thing exhausting. He is now wanting to feed himself and has a tantrum if you try to spoon feed him. He is 'into' everything and will only go to sleep (for half an hour at a time) if I take him for along walk in his pram..which his Mum does 2 - 3 times a day.
I also am full time carer for my disabled husband ...my Doctor thinks our 3 daughters should be doing more to help me !!!
I really don't know what to do as DD knows GS is happy and safe with me and she really needs to work. He is too young to be put into a nursery.
I have to do literally everything -- home/garden/dogs and DH usually stays in bed until mid afternoon....but as I am finding looking sfter GS so hard by myself , he has stared getting up to at least watch GS in his walker or playpen while I ..go to loo, hang washing out, make GS's meals.
How do I tell my daughter that I am finding it all too much ...she will be devastated.
I also have 4 other GC and spent Saturday with the eldest 2 ..driving 20 miles to pick them up and taking them home as well...80 miles altogether !!!
I just want some time to myself ...is that selfish ??