Anyone else think it's weird when you see grandparents out with young grandkids?
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No, I don’t find it weird at all. I find it weird that you have the assumption the parents are absent. They may be working (nursery is very expensive), having an hour to themselves, shopping, who cares what they’re doing. We all know parenting is hard and overwhelming, everyone deserves a break. I think it’s nice, grandparents often don’t work and children need supervision so it goes hand in hand, really. I think most grandparents are happy to look after their grandchildren, to bond with them and see them happy, support their son or daughter. They don’t ‘have’ to do anything and are likely not forced but simply wish to spend time with their family. My parents and parents in laws would be more than happy to do so. I think it’s a shame yours aren’t… I find that more weird, personally.
You don’t know the backstory of why anyone might be outside with anyone else. Able grandparents who are actively part of their grandbabies lives do this all the time…why would it be weird as a grandparent to hang out with your grandchild without the parents? Not to be rude but I find it more weird that you/your parents have that mentality
I don’t think it’s odd, or weird, actually.. I’m pretty sure my parents, my partners parents & also our grandparents would be over the moon to have our little man for a day. I’d go as far to say it’s pretty normal?
No, my mum takes my 8 month old to a grandparents playgroup one day a week and often takes him for a walk with her to the shop while I’m cooking dinner or sorting things out at home x
No. I had my first day without her last week and her grandparents took her to the zoo whilst I wfh. Both my parents still work full time but would love to see her every week and take her out. Mums and dads got bills to pay, chores to do, appointments to make and houses to keep. I’m hoping to get another day in the summer so I can get my hair cut, have a date night with my partner and do some overdue house tasks. Having grandparents nearby to help is a godsend, I genuinely envy people who have that support x
Literally one of the most normal things to see 😂 and in terms of ‘where are the parents’ - in my case, working?! My nan did most of our childcare when we were young and it was wonderful x
No? I spent lots of time with my elder grandparents when I was a kid ( my gran was in her 60s and my grandad in his 70s when I was born) and my parents are in their 60s now and love to look after my almost 1 year old. My not so elder grandparents had the same attitude as your parents did with regards to looking after their grandchildren so as a result I grew up a lot closer to my other grandparents than them. My partners great aunt and uncle who are near their 70s adore taking care of our girl while we are at work/sleeping ready for night shift too (their choice, not forced, we live next door and they come to collect her). My partners mum is in her early 50s but also absolutely adores taking our daughter when she can (she doesn’t live local). I think it’s good for the children to bond with their grandparents so they have other people to feel safe with and to confide in when they are older as I found it a lot easier sometimes to talk to my elder gran than my parents sometimes .
I don't have the assumption the parents are absent. I work my grandparents are retired, however as they say, it's not their kid so they they only have my LO in an emergency. They don't *want* to take him out, to help me out and so never have. So to me, it is weird that parents do that.
I’m not sure what the aim of your post was? I’m sure there are other people whose parents don’t help out too, but for most people those are the people they trust most to leave their child with. Just because it’s not your life experience doesn’t make it weird?
Not at all. My siblings and I spent soooo much time out and about and in the care of our grandparents whilst my mum and dad worked! Best years of our lives and the best grandparents ❤️
@AJ. It's just weird to me. If I asked my parents to take my child out for a day and having to change their nappy they'd laugh in my face and get annoyed🤣 I work, need a break etc, in fact I'm mum and dad to my LO and no mine don't take my LO out to the park or playgroup or zoo. They'd rather peel their eyes out. So to me, from my experience it is weird to see the opposite happen. Everyone's different.
@Lara to gather opinions dear. It's a public forum. It is literally the entire point of the app🤣
My little girl grandparents and her great grandparents jump at every opportunity to spend time with her. I'm due back to work in a couple of months after my mat leave is over and my mum and sister have very kindly offered to watch her (my mums retired and my sister only works part time) meaning I can actually go back to work full time.(I actually love my job hahaha) My mums takes her to baby groups and the library (she gets out more than me 🤣🤣) so I don't think it's odd at all. I love the bond they have and see them out together xx
@Katie I just see it as unusual that peoples parents like to spend time with their grandchildren as from my experience it's normal to want little to do with them. Didn't know it was such a thing to be fair
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Okay, just surely you must know that it’s not that weird?? Even if it’s not the norm for you. Given you’re clearly seeing it around. But whatever!
@Lara no I thought they were odd cases but not the norm. Because I don't think there is a norm. My norm is my norm. For example, mine have explicitly stated 'I'm not taking him out till hes potty trained as I don't want to be changing his nappy I already did that with you ' which to me is normal and understandable, so see it as weird that others *would* do that.
I think we just disagree on the wording ha. I don’t see something as weird just because it’s not my experience. I don’t like tomatoes but that doesn’t mean I think it’s weird for people to like them. If you get what I mean? I don’t think it’s weird your parents aren’t involved either. I’m not saying it’s the norm for grandparents to be involved I just think there’s something in between the norm and weird. Things can be common?
Why on earth do you see that as weird? Grandparents love spending time with their grandkids. Its such a beautiful bond.
Then you would think our family is weird AF. My kids have a sleepover with my kids once a week, my partners and my in laws take them places and have fun. They also watch our kids when we have date nights or go on vacations. My sets of grandparents are so so in love with our kids. They jump at any chance to do something with them.
@Mimi not all grandparents do though. My son just annoys them really. And I can't blame them. When I say weird I don't mean it as a critical thing, just the same word for unusual. From my perspective, I just couldn't imagine it myself so its weird/unusual to me
@Brittany indo see it as weird. I went out with my grandparents to the park once with my son (because I have to change nappies so they won't take him out on their own) and my dad started to shout at him because he was getting annoyed. And he was done 🤣
Not at all. I think it's lovely. My kids love their Granny she looks after them twice a week so I can work and not have to pay for so many days childcare.
Yeh i guess its not something that should just be expected as i totally understand not all grandparents want to go through that stage again of looking after young children. For me and pretty much all my mom friends/fam we are blessed to be able to have that extra support. My parents see my boy 5 days a week and love every minute of it.
My moms insists on watching my kids while I work full time. So she’s with them pretty much all day and takes them out to do a lot. If anything I’m so thankful I have that opportunity
You see it as ‘weird’ as your parents don’t want to spend time with your child, but for the majority of grandparents they adore taking their grandchildren out. ‘Where are the parents?!’ Anywhere else! Having a break? At work? Doing the shopping?
My mom and dad help out with my two all the time, but also will ask to have them, they pick them up from school once a week by there own request.. my mom has even gone as far to suggesting to taking them on holiday next year, although I'm not quite 100% on that one lol
Maybe we think what you’re saying isn’t the norm? I think its weird your parents don’t want that bond with their grandkids tbh
My grandparents liked going out with me and my siblings id stay over my grandmas house a bunch of times and i would go stay in DR with my grandparents since i was 3m old and my parents take my son out whenever they want i dont think just cause they already had kids means they shouldnt do things with their grandkids thts kinda mean
@Georgina sure, that's your opinion. To me it's normal though, they were very hands off with me myself to be honest, as long as I was fed and sent to school that was enough. Don't speak unless spoken' is my norm going out of your way to do something for someone is the not the norm in my family, and many others.
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Right and what I’m saying is some of your comments sound very judgey and we could easily judge you if we wanted to for your ‘ norm’ ?
@Georgina that's the way you interpret it. Nothing to do with me.
You’re so bizarre 😂
No I don’t think it’s weird, my mum will often have my little girl over night/couple of nights to give me and my partner some time alone. My daughter and my mum absolutely love their time together
Definitely not weird. I’d say it’s weirder that grandparents don’t want to spend time with their grandchildren? Like, why not? My boys grandparents jump at the chance to have them and see them
I see both sides, my mum loves having my little boy.. She doesn't necessarily take him for days out but he goes to grandma's house to play or for tea all the time, quite often she has my nieces too, my little boy loves it there. On the other hand, My mother in law also loves seeing my boy but doesnt have him on his own, we are always with them. It isn't a case of not wanting too though, it's more a issue of keeping up with my 1 year old, my MIL just doesn't feel that confident taking him, which isn't a problem because I love to see her too so it's nice to see her with my little boy and he loves it at her house too.
@Georgina the bizarre one is the one who likes to throw unprovoked insults. You don't see me insulting people, do you? It's what bullies do
@N 💞 I think they just don't enjoy it because they find kids annoying and want to do adult things? Like they already did their job with their children, now theyre grown up and they're retired they want to live their life? Seems fair to me, I'm not sure I'd want to babysit my children's children either as it's not my job? Dunno, just seems fair to me.
Great grandparent material 👍🏼
Nah it’s not weird at all, when I see a grandparent with their grand children, it often means the parents have a good support network. Grandparents have fun with their grandchildren, they get to hand them back to the parents.
I do think there’s a difference though incog in them taking their grandchild out occasionally to full time caring for them. Seems like they won’t help you out as their daughter or even change a nappy. I hope you get support elsewhere at least. I would say the majority of people don’t have those issues with their parents, I for one can’t wait to be a grannie getting all messy with grandkids xx
Not weird at all. My partners mum actually asks me to take our child even if it’s for an hour or so. I’m more than happy for her to take him and spend quality time on her own with him to bond
My parents are like yours and I look and think of them as “not normal”. like everyone said grandparents loves spending time with their grandkids. Mine only with mouth say I love you I want to see you I’m going to visit to see them but when they’re actually here they don’t spend time with them. They only busy talking about they’re life and don’t even care what my kids do. And it really annoys me. Like do you not get excited to see them do something cute?!?! I’m always like you guys are such a weirdo smh. They weren’t good parents and now they’re not good grandparents. It is what it is can’t force them to love my kids 🤷♀️ I get jealous seeing my friends parents so involved in their grandkids life..
@Sarah my mum begrudgingly came to the park with me and my son once, and called me stupid for letting him play on the climbing frame, I got upset so she went home🤣 even though I was right there with him, watching, he goes to the park all the time. I think we just don't enjoy each others company and just get on her nerves.
I can definitely see why you would get upset, I would with that as well. Everyone’s family’s are different hun, don’t compare other peoples to your own. Just as long as you are happy x
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My bestfriend growing up was raised by her grandmother then her sister made the poor woman raise her three babies then the other sister did the same so they can go out and do what ever they wanted, I had a lot of respect for that woman in many ways she kinda raised me too, she just passed not to long ago but I know she was still raising an army of littles when she left, that woman had a fire in her soul and love in her heart that none could ever compare to.
I don’t see it as weird no. I see it everywhere I go- Gparents w their Gkids. My eyes have become accustomed and I don’t question it at all. Parents are working usually, or on a date or just home chilling and enjoying a peaceful house lol.
Honestly I feel sad for you and your child after reading your post and comments… your parents are far from the norm and it’s not healthy for them to be so against being with their grandchild. Hopefully this is something that doesn’t hinder you from enjoying your grandchild when that time comes for you. I know it’s long away, but I’m so excited to watch my child grow into an adult and have kids of their own that I get to also enjoy. It’s the most beautiful cycle of life and your parents are really missing out…
Is this like a troll post or ? Ummm??? I don’t expect my parents to watch my child for me, i pay a babysitter if I need to be somewhere they can’t, however my parents have requested grandma/grandpa days quite a few times and they love to take their grand baby to do things and build a relationship with her, I’m sorry from what you said that your parent don’t seem as interested in being active parts of your child’s life bur don’t assume that just because Someone has their grand kids that they were left with them irresponsibly.
I don’t think it is odd at all. Some grandparents beg to have the grandkids some days. Maybe the parents are at work, or running errands, maybe they are spending some time to themselves. Who knows and who cares. Live and let live.
No. Most grandparents help with childcare whilst parents work.