Something a grandchild has done to make you cry emotionally

Today we had couple of hours with a grandchild from hell. He’s had a challenging few days and has come for a sleep over today. The day started delightfully, he was happy (too happy) to be with us and, as I had to post a letter, we walked into town and I said he could buy a small Lego kit from our newsagents. Dismay. The small ones had nearly all sold out and he wanted two £15 ones. I said he could choose one. Half way through making his choosen boat he started. He didn’t like boats, hated this one, wanted the other kit, etc, etc. Tears, stamping, screams. Full on. He hated us both and refused to say sorry. Two hours later he was still holding out in full flow in an effort to get the second kit. DH had withdrawn behind his paper and I retreated to the loo for a bit of a sob.

Took his dog for a walk, by which time he had subsided a bit. Long ‘chat’ about money, love and hurt and he apologised and meant it. We’ve now had a lovely afternoon and when I put him to bed he suddenly grabbed me around the neck and said “I love you nanny”. Retreated to the bathroom for a bit of a sob.

We are both emotionally drained!

Oh Grannyben how absolutely lovely

Grannyben. That is so beautiful!

Isn't it lovely to see such simple actions are the very things which bring us such joy.
My DGS, aged just 3, shares my bed when he stays with me (I only have the one). As I tried to get in without disturbing him he stirred then said "shall we hold hands grandma?". There we were, in the dark, holding hands. I thought my heart was going to burst with joy.

Oh Brum 12 ... how lovely is that! That's the kind of thing I would call on to remember if I ever needed cheering up!

My young gd, aged about 8 asked me to go on her gap year with her that she was already planning as I was her best friend.

A couple of weeks ago, my 3 year old DGS, during his regular visit, put his arms round my neck and said, ‘I want to keep you for ever and ever Nanny! Phew, hard not,to shed a tear....

I'm not an emotional sobber but I sometimes think of the time when my grandson was a 4 month old baby and left with us overnight whilst his parents went to a friend's wedding. I don't know what I was thinking, but I left him downstairs in the lounge in the travel cot to sleep, but got up several times during the course of the night to check on him. At 5 a.m. I went to check on him again and he lay there wide awake, quite still - and I suppose because I was the first human to appear, goodness knows how long he had been lying there awake but quietly curious - I got the biggest beam ever. And when I picked him up, his little hands were so cold.

Having spent a week at my daughter's, I was getting ready to leave. I explained to my three year old grandson that I had to go home and he said in all seriousness, "But Nanna, who will play with me?" I was devastated. I never cry but I fill up every time I remember his sad little face and those words. (His Mummy and Daddy do play with him, by the way, and he's perfectly happy!)

That's lovely morethan2 must have tugged at your heart strings.

I was due to go home after visiting my son and his family. It was snowing very heavily. In passing my son said “if this gets any worse you’ll be stuck here and won’t be going anywhere” not long afterwards as I was passing my then 7year old grandsons door I saw his face pressed up against the windowpane hand pressed in prayer saying “snow harder, snow harder and then nanna will stay”I love that boy

Each of my three older DGS have done it at least once - run straight to me when they’ve spotted me and flung their arms and legs round me like little monkeys, cuddling in and hugging me so tight I can hardly breathe.

Usually I get a quick acknowledgement and a brief grin if I’m lucky.

I can't remember ever feeling more sad and upset than when my middle grandaughter (now 10) broke her leg aged 3.

I cried buckets seeing her in a hip to toe luminous pink plaster cast. The hospital refused her a wheelchair and because her couldn't bend she had to be carried everywhere. I remember bringing her to my house (we lived in an upstairs flat at the time) and she announced that she was "a big girl and could get up the stairs herself...without help" and my god she did ! Dragging her right leg behind her she climbed up and down the stairs like a commando completely refusing to be "carried like a baby" .

I remember just crying and crying every time I looked at her determined little face. She is the most sporty child you could ever imagine and apparently her right leg is a "SUPER LEG" so it didn't have any long term effect on her. Me on the other hand.... I can still cry thinking about her.

My grandson a very shy boy took up playing the guitar at age 12 as a refuge from not quite bullying but not really fitting in at Senior school in a different part of the country to his junior school so he had no ready made friends and everyone else did. He taught himself from You Tube. he sat in my conservatory only a few weeks into playing and played and sung Wonderwall for me. Now he has lessons and has jumped straight up to Grade 5 and is taking Music as a GCSE subject taking one of the very few places available in his school and getting there by audition. Always makes me teary when I see him play.

The first thing that comes to my mind is actually something my own son did many moons ago. He was somewhere between 18 months and 2 years old, I think. I went into his room towards the end of his afternoon nap to find him still fast asleep. I stroked his head gently and told him what a lovely little boy he was. Although still asleep, he gave a huge smile of pure, innocent happiness. It brought tears of to my eyes then, and still does now, 35 years later whenever I recall it.

I had tears in my eyes a few weeks ago as DD1 FaceTimed me so I could watch my eldest GD who has just turned 13 sing Hallelujah while she played the piano. She has recently started singing lessons. GD is a lovely thoughtful girl with a great voice and I am very proud of her.

My granddaughter was 2 and a bit as she sat on the bed next to my desperately ill late OH and launched into a rendition of 'if you're happy and you know it clap your hands'. Not a dry eye in the place!

Yes, I cried when I saw my little girl dancing around as a snowflake in her first Christmas play. So, that's twice now.. getting to be a habit!

Did you cry at your own child’s sweet saying/ nativity play/ toothy smile etc? Surely that should be more significant? Or were you too knackered? Why does it skip a generation? Maybe it’s because we have a little bit more time to take it all in when we are not so concerned with all the practicalities of caring.

Both my daughter and I sobbed our way through my grandson's first nursery school play and have cried at every subsequent play or sports day - we feel sad thinking that his late daddy would have been so proud. Every year I think we'll get through the event without breaking down, but even though the sobbing of the early years has diminished we still can't help but shed a quiet tear. His daddy was very competitive so we also have a laugh at thinking what he would be calling out at sports days etc.

Well said MawBroon
My DGs do many , many things that make us happy. It is the really sad moments I will never forget.

What Maw said.

I cryed when I spoke to my DGSx2 via Skype a few weeks ago. It was the first contact we'd had for 12 mths.
To see them grinning and exclaiming nannie ! was enough to set me off.

At my granddaughter's wedding when I was presented with a bouquet as I helped with the wedding arrangements.

Surely all tears are “emotional”?
Whether the emotion is occasioned by laughter or sorrow the tears can still flow.

We went to my GDs 1st birthday party. When we walked into the lounge and she saw us she set off and crawled the length of the room, through a forest of legs . When she arrived at my feet she held her hands up for a cuddle. She is nearly 13 and loves to hear me tell the tale.