Irritating grandchildren

That's 'reading' NOT wading!!! Must get new specs!!!

I have a ten year old grandson and I wish he would be a bit more boisterous....as I remember my son and my brothers being! He spends his spare time with his head into books ...Greeks Myths...are the latest thing. Can't get enough of books. My 6 year old granddaughter spends her time punching cushions and rolling around the floor....but then she's OVERTAKEN him at wading already!! All quite 'back to front' . I love em enormously as they're so different . Enjoy your granddaughters frolics...serious stuff will soon take over!

I just felt soooooo proud yesterday, I needed to send some some wood over to my gd, normally I would just pop in the car and go but my new knee has stopped me in my tracks. My gs answered the phone and in his deep gruff voice said I will drive over and pick it up. He has just passed his test and bought his first car. Joy. I loved them to bits when they were younger but even more now for their caring attitude

A couple of months ago I showed my (newly) 12yr old DGS the You Tube clip of Harry Enfield's Kevin turning into a teenager. We both found it hilarious and every once in a while he imitates the moody Kevin to make me laugh. Lets hope he stays the goofy funny 12yr old he is now and skips the 'Kevin' stage'. I should get so lucky.

My 11 year old grandaughter won’t smile for photos, will only hug if she absolutely has to, certainly won’t give Nana a kiss, rolls her eyes if I try and crack a joke....argues when it’s time to get ready for bed, clean her teeth, wash her face, have a shower, put clean underwear on, change her socks, won’t wear anything but baggy trousers and an old Tshirt (she’s a tomboy) eat a proper breakfast etc etc IT WAS SO MUCH EASIER WHEN SHE CAME TO STAY AS A TODDLER!! And I thought toddlers were hard...

Misadventure .Like we females and our monthly 'moods' boys have testosterone which governs there behaviour. Yes, it can have you climbing up the wall and I recall my mothers friend bringing her ten year old grandson to my house Sigh of relief all round when they left.

My eyes are getting wider and wider reading the number of posts describing boys as more boisterous than girls. I have 5 granddaughters aged between 7 and 4. At times they all descend on my house together which is wonderful but incredibly noisy with much shrieking, door banging and crashing. ( when the crashing occurs I dread going to see what's broken now). I love them all more than I can say but the image of little girls sitting quietly colouring or writing stories is not one that I recognise!

Niggly I do know what you mean. I feel as if I can relax and show complete and unconditional love to my grandchildren without the worry and responsibility of being a parent. I would add that I have a very good adult adult relationship with my children now. Without doubt the role of Nanny is the most satisfying and enjoyable one I have ever had.

The answer with 10-year-olds is to give them outlets for their energy: eg football or rugby training, tennis lessons, swimming, athletics, Cubs and Scouts and riding their bikes. Unfortunately the i-pads provide alternative activities!
Parents are kept busy providing a taxi service - I remember doing that 40-odd years ago.

Oh Catherine that's such good news, and I feel so happy for you. Tbh I sometimes think that I am fonder of my grandchildren than I was of my children!! With the two girls, 18 and 15 I find that they gently tease me and explain in simple language, as I'm clearly a poor old soul, why they wear tops that slip down one arm(?!!) why they never dress warmly, and resist Wellington boots in our muddy countryside!!! They're nightmares I understand to their parents but lovely to us (especially me!!) My grandson is as you've gathered a complete joy in every way!! Enjoy your grandson, they're lovely particularly when they're little!

I am not being critical but having spent the last 20 months with my Son in Family Court fighting to see my 3 year old and finally have seen him twice for 2 hours I cannot express the joy and happiness I feel when he sees me and runs up and gives me a hug. Soon he will stay at my son’s so I can’t wait to lie down and read a book with him, take him to his 93 year old great grandmother who he calls Gee Gee??????????

Those voices are irritating my oldest grandson does it occasionally,one of granddaughters does head stands and doesn't realise how near her legs are to your head !!! I suppose we irritate them at times

As well as starting earlier, they seem to become much taller than in the past. And bigger feet.
One grandson, now 16, is a terrible tease and knows how to wind up his Dad (my eldest). I say, ignore, but he's so easy to wind up!
The same boy is lovely to me though.

That's already the case here. Much eye rolling and tutting at times. I pretend I'm too blind and deaf to notice.

Just wait till they get older and start to find us irritating.

Well, my mother always said that her grandchildren (2) were one of life's bonuses! It's a sentiment that I certainly echo, LOUDLY!!!

Take them in hand and tell them to behave

Six of our gc went from lovely babies to feral brats and now are delightful teens, most of the time. Two new babies now so here we go again!!
Do find the silly baby voices irritating but not as bad as when 35 year old neice does it between thumb sucking, not cute at all.

harrigran, physical adolescence does start earlier than it used to. I was astonished when my (then) 11-year-old GS answered the phone sounding just like his father. My GD, his sister, also reached puberty early. GS soon overtook me in height and his dad says he is now 6ft - and not the tallest in his Y10 class.

I used to irritate my grandmother because I would try to do gymnastics in her very small living room. I'd find a space beside the furniture and swing my legs around. Now I can see why that was irritating! She would also constantly tell me to shut the door because there was a force 10 gale coming in. When I was a teenager she told me it was my own fault I had acne because i was always hugging our cat near my face. When I looked in the mirror she said the devil would look back because I was vain. Oh dear, how not to be a good grandma.

So what? If she's still a primary school child, I'd say that's usual behaviour. If, however, she's older than that, it's odd. Enjoy your grandchildren - there are worse things she could be doing than just acting silly.

There’s only one thing that drives me nuts with our 4 - it’s when they use what I would describe as ‘baby voices’ - usually to their parents when they want something.

You know it’s that twee, half whining, 2 octave higher thing !! Bit like baby birds squeaking at their parents to get fed lol

If they forget and do it to me I stop them in their tracks!

I totally agree with everyone who has mentioned boys silliness !! They sometimes seem like small aliens !

I have found that they seem to become teenagers at about 9 or 10 now and do a lot of flouncing out of rooms. GDs do not do it with me, they are delightful when staying at our house.

My DGS aged 11 (today) has already turned into Harry Enfield's Kevin! Grunts, shrugs, and OMG, or worse are the order of the day! Attitude rules! He hates one sister and loves the other but insists on flinging her around till she is hurt. Both sisters are younger. I do wish he would get off his phone though because he is actually quite lovely when it is out of action. He even gives me hugs instead of shrugs!

My nine year old Grandson has a habit of saying "Huh?"
as if he hasn't heard what has been said.
It drives me nuts.
He kind of draws it out into a longer Huh than it should be.

I quickly realised that if I stay quiet and don't repeat myself he then answers me because he did actually hear.

What with that and him repeating his toddler sister's name over and over and over when he plays with her it's never a dull quiet,peaceful moment.

I love every minute of it though because I was apart from them all their lives until last year.