Let me start by saying that my son is only a few months old so we have time before this pops up π moreso just asking out of curiosity.
My father has not been a consistent part of my life since I was about 15/16. My parents divorced when I was 11 and it was all downhill from there - he didn't want me if he couldn't be with my mom, even though they were literal childhood sweethearts. My dad is mad at/not speaking to one of his siblings every week, and when my grandfather died, my dad wasn't speaking to him either. I am VERY close with my dad's family, just not him because of his behavior and mental health (BPD that I truly feel was misdiagnosed, I feel that it is NPD). The last time we actually spoke, he was smiling in my face because he'd met my fiance for lunch. Next thing I know, he's calling my mom telling her he's not walking me down the aisle and doesn't approve of my now-husband. I got married last year, had my son this year, and even though he is the only grandchild my father will have until I have another kid, he still hasn't reached out for any congratulations or apology. So that's my dad in a nutshell.
My husband's dad committed suicide when my husband was 16. They had a good relationship all his life *mostly* but my husband and his brothers and their mom have trauma from his alcoholism that sometimes turned into violence. My husband still feels betrayed especially because he and his mom had been diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disease 2 years prior. So my husband is like, you committed suicide because you lost your job, knowing you left your wife and son with a disease that would only get worse over time? And that your wife would have to support 3 kids on her own on a teacher's salary???
My husband and I had a long, tearful talk last night about our dads and how we explain them to our son when the time comes. I know he'll notice that he doesn't have any grandfather. Neither of our moms are remarried. Our moms, let me just say, are AMAZING women. The best moms we could have and so, so strong. But kids notice things. What do we say?
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If the little ones a few months old it won't worry them, I grew up known one of my grandparents Out of the 4, Died naturally but the Child shouldn't need to know this now or when there older, the child's dad is what he'll remember π Talk about the grandfather off course but personally I wouldn't explain something like this Or worry unless they were older!