Grandparents, then and now...

I never knew my maternal grandparents - in fact my mum never knew who her father was being the sad result of her war widowed mother's relationship with a man she didn't know was married until she found out Mum was on the way. She died when Mum was only 21 and only 61 herself- I wish I'd known her as she was a very much loved person by all her family I've often been told. My paternal grandparents didn't really have much to do with me - I can only remember them looking after me once. We left the town they lived in when I was only 8 and visits consisted of me sitting between my parents on the horsehair sofa and being given a bar of chocolate. As I got carsick as soon as I was old enough to stay home I stopped going. My grandmother died when I was 14 and grandfather a year later. Looking back now I regret it so much and wished I'd known them better. My sons were lucky to have all 4 grandparents in their lives until they were adults and were very close to my parents who they often stayed with. They even saw two great grandchildren born.

MGM lived just round the corner so we saw her frequently. My aunt, who lived at home, was more likely to babysit us and often did. On some occasions we went round to Granny's to sleep there - especially on the nights when my two sisters were born - my mum had us all at home. There was a big uncultivated area of garden behind my granny's ordinary garden. There was an Anderson shelter which we used as a hidey hole. She also let us make a house in her garden shed. We were like an old-fashioned extended family.

My paternal grandfather died in an accident when dad was about 12. His mother and my maternal grandfather died a few months before I was born. So only ever knew my maternal grand-father- who was anything but (grand-maternal) - a socialite and quite cold person, who played bridge most of her time with other local socialites. So had very little to do with her. I imagine had my dad's mother been around- it would have been very different- but even so, in those days grand-parents were visited regularly at best, but never really got 'hands on' with the grandkids.

No, paternal GF died when DF was 15. I saw PGM on a Sunday morning when dad took me to visit for a couple of hours. She didn't come to ours as she didn't like DM.
I don't remember Maternal GM ever babysitting me or my brother. My parents never ever went out at night. MGM would visit but would just sit in the chair and drink tea !. When I was older 10-13 I would ride my bike to see her sometimes at weekends.

I grew up with all four grandparents and saw them all often. One set lived a few streets away and the others in the next town. We all went to the same church and sitting in between Gran and Granny in their fur coats was THE best place to be!
We were all just one big family, in fact my grandparents often went on holiday together when European packages started.
While they didn't really have a lot of input to our upbringing they were ever present and we loved them all. ?

I saw my maternal grandmother most days, as she lived nearby. She was the one who administered the cod liver oil, Virol, and Syrup of Figs. She would also slip us the occasional threepenny bit!
My other granny lived further away, but we still visited her and my grandfather often. I remember being shocked to realise that she was only 57 when she died, as she was the typical ( of the time), white haired old lady in the floral wraparound pinny.

My maternal grandparents died in their sixties, I was under ten but I did enjoy going for Sunday lunches with them as they would give us a bottle of Tizer with our lunch and let us go to the shop for a block of icecream which we carried back in a wrap of newspaper to make wafer sandwiches for pudding. They were quite poor, knew how to manage on very little, didn't have a car and grew all their own veg. They didn't do nappy changing, babysitting or come to our house very often. I was very sad when they died.
Paternal grandparents were very similar but much stricter, so not so much fun, they lived longer but had poor health and my mother eventually looked after my grandmother but it caused a lot of friction between my parents, I think she may have had undiagnosed dementia, her final years were not happy ones so I have sad memories of her. I stayed with them once and remember my grandmother doing all the cleaning , laundry, shopping and cooking to a strict rota, with the weeks menus all planned in advance and meals on the table at set times. She wasn't expected to work outside the home and her life was really quite empty.

I am another from a forces family, but for the first five years of my life, during the war, my maternal grandmother lived with us - and I adored her. After her house was rebuilt and our traveling forces family life started, I saw much less of her but I grabbed every opportunity to be with her. and I was devastated when she died when I was 14

Like Merlot my sister and I lived with my paternal grandparents in the school holidays for several years when my parents were abroad and we were at boarding school, but I was never close to them. It was a big multi-generational home and a much beloved aunt was officially our guardian.

My grandmother had never really liked my mother, and I was too like her. My grandfather was in the Victorian mould, loving but distant.

What an interesting OP.
I never knew either set of GPs, but I had a step-GM who was like a version of Queen Victoria in her dress style and cooked a lot of cabbage. She owned a newsagents and so I always came away from a visit to her with a pile of comics and a tube of Smarties. When we moved to another part of the country she would send me money for birthdays and Christmas.

My own children benefitted from family holidays with my XDH father and step-mother (and extended family). It is a trait my DD has absorbed, as she loves big family gatherings and I will be going on holiday again with my GSs. I see them every week, as I live close by.

I spent a large part of my childhood abroad. In fact between the age of two and nine I didn't see my grandparents at all. This was the early fifties so no jet travel, Skype, e-mail and long distance phone calls. In fact calls abroad had to be booked in advance , were costly and only three minutes duration. I remember arriving at Euston Station, our ship had docked earlier at Liverpool, suddenly this woman rushed into my mother's arms. There followed crying, exclamations, more crying, after seven years my mother finally saw her mother again.A tall grey haired gentleman lifted me up and kissed me saying ' you won't remember me I'm your grandfather' .I loved them both dearly , they spent as much time as possible with us. I had several holidays on my own with them . Which I enjoyed so much, I was spoilt rotten. My father more or less ignored me he adored my younger brother. My GPs more then made up for it. Even though we lived abroad again, twice, we never had such a big gap again.

Both my grandfathers died before I was born. Or at least, my maternal grandfather was as good as dead, although no-one is really sure what happened to him as he ducked out of my grandmother's life when mum was still a child and he was never heard of again.
My maternal GM played a big part in my young life, but sadly she died when I was only 6. My paternal GM was much older and had already succumbed to dementia by the time I arrived on the scene. She was the vague, softly spoken dear old lady, dressed in black, who sat in the corner of the room. I really don't have any more memory of her than that, sadly
So to all intents and purposes, after the age of 6 it felt as if I had no grandparents at all.

It's the opposite in our family. My paternal grandparents died before I was born, but I have fond memories of my maternal grandma in particular. She worked, but as a supply teacher, so was often around to help out. We spent a lot of time at their house, particularly in the school holidays. As I work full time and the GC are a long way away we are not so involved at the moment. They are only babies though, so hopefully by the time they start school, I will have retired and they will be coming to us for holidays

I didn't know my paternal grandparents; they died before i was old enough to know what grandparents were, but i would have loved to have known them. The only grandparent i remember was my mother's stepmother. My mother and i used to visit her, she never visited us, and my father, seemingly by choice, never came into contact with her. I don't remember her ever showing me any affection; no hugs or kisses or any attention she would not have paid to any local child off the street. She was pleasant to me, but i never felt she liked me. We have one grandson with whom we have been closely involved from his first breath. He already has one grandmother who treats him like my grandmother treated me - with barely passing interest - so i hope that, in us, he will always know what loving and attentive grandparents are. He gives that love back in spades!

My maternal grandmother died many years before I was born and I remember going, from age 6, to do my maternal grandfather's shopping and to tidy his house. My mother was unable to do much at this stage, due to a difficult pregnancy and persistent ill health. I adored my Grandad and we spent many happy hours together.
My paternal grandparents also played an important part in my life. Although they would have strenuously denied it, I think I was their favourite grandchild of 18. I have fond memories of time spent with them, particularly of visits to elderly relatives, where I was shown off as a 'right clever little lass'. (Their words, not mine!)
I think attitudes to grandparenting have changed since those days. My own grandchildren were never expected to help out in any way. Along with my darling late husband, I have always been involved in their lives and hope they will have as many happy memories of us both as I have of my own grandparents.

We did not se much of them at all. One gran lived at the seaside and we used to go there for holidays, but barely saw her the rest of the year. The other GPs lived in London and we would go up and see them now and again. But neither sets of GPs were remotely as involved as we are with the GC.

Both sets of my grandparents were heavily involved in mine and my sisters lives and upbringing Sadiesnan. Infact I don't think my parents could have managed without them. My dad's parents gave my little sister her lunch everyday as she wouldn't stay to school meals but mums parents did the lions share of babysitting and holiday childcare etc. and to be honest all of my happiest childhood memories involve them in some way. They were never extravagant (they had very little money) but they were extremely generous with their attention and always had exciting adventures lined up for us. My dear grandma (Bridget) remained a very important person in my life (and the lives of her great grandchildren and great, great grandchildren) right up until died in September aged 99 !

If I could be a tiny bit as good a grandma to my grandchildren as my grandma was to me then I would be very very happy indeed.

My maternal Gran and Grandda were very involved with me and my brother and sister , we were evacuated to them from Glasgow . Post War we left Scotland for Ireland and they holidayed with us , they took me to visit ancient cousins in Sligo . We were backward and forward to them every summer , Gran was visiting us when she died aged 83

They did as much as was feasible, initially with work and travel constraints then with geography and health. Travel is so much easier now. I consider myself lucky to be a grandparent now rather than back then.

My maternal grandparents played a huge part in my brothers' and cousins lives. By the time my sister and I arrived they had died. Always wish I had known them.

great grandparents

I think times have changed big time.

My kids had 1 great gran. Their kid will have 6.

My GPs played a massive part in our lives when I was young. I was very lucky to have both sets nearby and holidays with one or other set was the highlight of my life. They are my role model for my Granhood. I only hope my GCs love me as much as I loved them.

All my gps were still alive when I was young. They lived close by, but were not a significant part of my life.

I think times have changed. I'm not sure if it"s for the better or not. I think expectations of gps are higher now. We're "younger" than our own gps, but I do feel sorry for those of us who've reached a point in our lives where we can finally put our feet up, only to be "needed" once more by frazzled children!

My maternal grandparents played a huge part in our lives but I didn't realise how much at the time. We travelled all over the Middle East as Dad was in the RAF so we stayed with them in their three bedroom semi whenever we were between postings and needed a base in UK. Nan must have found it hard having a family to cater for when she was well into her seventies and to add to it, my elder brother spent his school holidays with them when he was at boarding school and couldn't join us.

I never ever heard them complain and they always welcomed us with open arms.

No they didn't , we visited now and then with Mum and Dad but other contact never happened no holidays away with them for instance, I'm not even sure why its happened but I certainly spent a lot of time with my own grandchildren we went on holidays every year when they were small and now I go with one of my daughters and her daughter every year away for a week. I don't remember ever being left with my grandparents or even babysat by them.
I hadn't though about it till now.