Really, really tired now.

Whilst we are on hand for any childminding duties during the holidays none of them stay anymore and the up side is they live very close so come and go as they please really,after reading all the above now I remember why mr.g. & I decided one a one bed apartment,we can truthfully say "no room at the inn"

Stone crows, you are brave, still, you WILL be sharing looking after them .
Unless of course they are like ours, When G + G are around no-one else gets a look in . [I am happy to report].

Chuckle, chuckle

Absolutely Nonu. However my DinL reminded me we have agreed to go on a family holiday next year to the Cotswolds for TWO WHOLE WEEKS - we must be mad.

And you will all love very minute.!

As my 3+ GS and his bro left today after 7 fun packed hyper days, he said next time we are coming for 10 days - yikes !

Thanks Nonu the boys watched Despicable Me tonight - such peace.

I think you just have to tell him. My sister's husband retired, he was 20 years older than her and she had a stressful job as a London secondary school court mediator/social worker. She would come home, pour herself a glass of wine, peck him on the cheek and go upstairs and take a very, very long bath and only when she came downstairs would she allow him to talk to her. Until that was sorted she said she felt murderous.

Hi grannyactivist I so feel the same, I come home from work and just want to sit in peace for a while on my own, but can never, as my husband doesn't work anymore and is always there!! it is a strain that I am not sure how to handle. I really would like some time a day even weeks to myself!!

NANKATE there is a brand new invention, it is called Television, pictures move around the screen and there is talking and music.

Don"t get wrong, we do actitivies with them , cards, scrabble , board games , go to the beach, go to the park ,go to the movies but I do feel that sometimes they SHOULD amuse themselves , we leave out the things we know they like.
I don"t think there is anything wrong with them watching some television, after all they are here to chill and relax, these are their HOLIDAYS just like the adults who visit us .

I Also provide Napkins/serviettes/kitchen roll, mine use them too .

That's a pet hate of mine too. I do provide napkins too!

I could write most of these posts. Running on empty is exactly right and my meagre social life is on hold. I feel our generation is keeping the world at work . I'm in bed as soon as the kitchen is ready for the morning when they are here. By the time school starts I will have done six of the eight weeks of the summer holidays in childcare .the flowers and wine are lovely but a bonus would be if the parents polished their table manners and said at grandmas you eat whatever is in front of you SLOWLY and didn't wipe sticky hands on pjs or jeans.am I the only grandma who provides table napkins ? I feel ugh when I see people wiping their hands on their clothes and you see it everywhere especially people wearing jeans.

I've just discovered a plus side....... lost 2lbs in weight weighed after b/fast too!
Ariadne sorry about the hip, hope it improves ASAP.xx

I feel the same - since July we have had loads of (very welcome) visitors, and loved going out with them, down to the beaches and further afield, and having meals out, or catering at home.

Then the whole family 12 altogether) was here last week - DD lives here, and the other lot rented holiday accommodation nearby, but almost on the beach. But, bless them, they were in and out every day, and we had the four youngest for a few days before their parents came down, and, and, and....I have a very old friend here now, then that's it for a while.

I know what you mean, Ga about running on empty. The hip is really playing up too, which hasn't helped.

Of course, I wouldn't change any of it!

janerowena... I think we wear similar T shirts!
We too play boardgames until midnight sometimes ( the GC are older). Fine if you don't get out of bed til 11 a.m., fine if you don't have to watch DIL work her way thro a second bottle of wine and forget the rules of the game and fine if you like playing games anyway (which I don't!)
Oh dear..... don't I sound a misery

I have started to find having a tin of red bull, helps me to stay awake on a long day.
Mick

I can easily cope with youngest DGS on his own for the four days a week I gave him but whilst oldest has been on school hols it's worn me out as they squabble a lot of the time.
DD is going away for 5 days on Thursday so it will be 24hrs a day and they both wake anytime from 6am. Our only holiday will be October, DD and boys are coming too, so no rest there then

GA how I empathise with you.

We are on day 5 of an 8 day stay by my DinL and 2 grandsons 3+ and 1+ and I am on my knees.

Don't get me wrong I love them all dearly but it is constant from about 7am to 8pm. The noise level is unbelievable. We move from one activity to another and the final straw is when my darling eldest grandson spins out the moment of going to bed by asking in depth questions about the 3 books I read him each evening.

When I got stroppy with him over his tardiness in getting his teeth cleaned I told him it was fine by me to not clean them as I was too tired to care. As I left the room he said 'Don't worry Nan, grandad will do it for me'

I can't wait for Friday to arrive when they leave but as the car departs I will feel the tears running down my face.

Liz46 I am with you on the wine and quick meals.

Forgot to mention the 'sandwich' bit - we only just came back from a week sorting out my mother and stepfather, two days back to sort out washing and get in the shopping before DD&Co descended on us.

I love to see them, but wish I could see DD on her own sometimes. She had to sell her car, they couldn't afford to run two, I always thought she would be able to pop up here without SiL occasionally, but it wasn't to be. He is a control freak where food is concerned, so it makes it doubly hard for me, as she gets it in the neck if I cook something he won't eat. So a 'bit' stressful. As she is studying Law, I often hope she pays particular attention to the divorce section. And then smile sweetly at him. Like this.

Two more days and nights with my gorgeous and very exhausting grandchildren and then it is a pub meal and wine (possibly in copious amounts).

Taken two over very active 4-year olds away for three days. Today is Day One.
As I write I've just put them to bed, in the same double bed, in the guest house we're staying at. I can hear them giggling.
Interrupted this post with the 'I need a wee wee' from one and 'I'm thirtsty' from t'other
The last of my guests departed Sunday.
The previous week we went on holiday with DD and GSs.
This weekend we're in charge of their new puppy.
So I know exactly how most of you feel.

Yes I have had to learn to pace myself over the years or else I get really run down.

The trouble with our generation is that we often have it both ends - young grandchildren and elderly parents. This week I am having a break from the grandchildren but still have Mum to look out for - I have been with her since noon and got home about 6pm.

I now make sure that I have easy meals and early nights, or I get so tired that I can't sleep and find myself roaming around at ungodly hours of the night. I also get really nasty mouth ulcers and a flu-like ache of my body. The more rested I am the better I sleep. So I try to look after myself much more than I used to.

Phew!

I wish I could - but DBH is a teacher, so no chance!

Yes, I do feel like that. I have DBH at home for a couple of months. DS is a student so he is at home for two or three months out of a potential four - plus he needs to move every summer. So we have a removal to work around as well. Then DD&Co descend on us for HER holiday. It's my own fault, I started it because she really doesn't ever get a break. Two young children, two part-time jobs, one in a pub in the evenings, and she is studying Law and has another two years to go. She can't get her books out until the children are in bed. SiL is a lazy lump and does sod all apart from play on the computer. So they all come up to me. DBH helps a bit, but as he has nothing in common with SiL, he does tend to stay out of the way.

They have just gone home, and I am left with all the bedding to wash and put away, a house to clean that I haven't managed to keep up with, two fridges full of weird leftovers, a large assortment of objects that have been left behind including Ariel's skirt (which is going to cause ructions) and a headache.

We had a bit of a row because of course once DD had caught up with her sleep, she wanted us all to stay up late to play board games. I really wish I had never ever started teaching her card games and playing board games with her when she was younger at times like that!

So yes, I am knackered and can't really see how I can improve things. The children are very good, but they will wake up at 6.30am and because it is all so exciting here, rarely go to bed before 9pm.

It would be very possible for me to spend the whole day in the kitchen preparing meals. We go out for an evening meal once while they are here, and have lunch out if we are out for the day, but they are broke so can't help out with money.

So I just wait until September and DBH goes back to work, and DS (who is the least bother of any of them and the most helpful) goes back to Uni, and THAT is when I have my holiday. At home. Eating when I want to, doing what I want to, when I want.