It's not a good sign when.......

just the kind of message DD sends
Hope little one isn't too poorly and all is we with scan

Oh my! Glad we moved close to DDs! Last week had a message " please can u have boys overnight on Tues? Have 2x meetings in Kent & DH on call" All fine as far as I'm concerned..tgen DD remembered it was only 1 boy..other on school journey, then her DH had rota changed so would be home but late...then DDs early meeting cancelled so no need for overnight trip! Stand down Nana!,

Just the kind of message I get from my son. Usually the only time I hear from him by text starts....Are you free on (insert date), then I know his In-Laws who live round the corner are not free to babysit I live an hours drive away.

I too hope your little one is not too poorly, and the scan goes well kitty

Family life
I wouldn't change it, but do sometimes wonder how on earth I coped with no support, and a husband who was regularly away.

Yes I have had that sort of message too kittylester. Hope all goes well.

Oh the joys of being a gran ??

Ah, kitty, aren’t we all victims of this? Mine usually come from SiL and begin “Has DD mentioned about......”. And usually DD has not ‘mentioned about’ because she seems to be slightly embarrassed by the number of times they have to ask these days. As if we mind! (If we weren’t asked to have him we would probably kidnap him!). He said (with tongue in cheek or he would have got short shrift) on Sunday after one such conversation, “In future I think I had better take over responsibility for your parents’ diary commitments!”

Ours start with "can I ask a huge favour"........ Followed by "please pretty please"
Lol would not change it though.

Mine are Can you ring me please.

Mine always begin with "Don't feel you have to say yes, but would you be able to......"

My WhatsApp message from DS2 said little one had been sent home two days running from nursery with tonsillitis - Nana would've been there for him but bit far to travel to the other side of the globe. Other nana is in sheltered care now with dementia such a lovely lady too.

Hope it's not too nasty a bug Kitty and you don't get it!

Mine start with...."Hi Mum".... long time no text but!!!! And no ...I wouldn't change it at all. The alternative is 'him indoors' and daytime t.v.

Part and parcel of being a Gran

We're experiencing the other side of the coin. InLaws live in the same village when we are 1.5 hours' drive away. We never get asked. We would jump at the chance.

Both my daughters are direct in approach and ask straight out..whereas my middle son favours the indirect "what are you up to at the weekend/on Thursday/ in the morning", etc! I love the grandchildren to bits but (emergencies apart, of course) do wish that the family would give me a bit more notice! The 'start time' is usually pretty clear but the return time of the DC (parents) tends to be more elastic and often involves texts of the "do you mind if I just..." when they are theoretically on the way home!! Busy lives today - everyone seems to be rushing from A to B juggling various tasks and commitments.

And aren't we just the envy of all the estranged grandparents on here?

My step-grandchildren live too far away, but I sometimes get a call from my sister - after some general chitchat it's "are you doing anything on ???" to ask if I can look after her son (my younger nephew)for the evening/overnight - I can usually do it most times and she doesn't live very far away from me.

I'd love a call like that......my 2 have cut me out of their lives for the past 10 years, not invited to one wedding and I now have 2, possibly 3 grandchildren that I will never see. I remarried and they didn't approve.....So I must pay the price.

If DH's and my phones ping together, we know it is DiL2, she always texts both of us at once asking for a favour, can be within a few hours or months away. If she feels we might find it tricky, then she gets DS2 to text instead, and his only comes to me!
DD will text me for extras, we already do two days a week.
We also have one son with two children 400 miles away, sadly don't see much of them, and one son just about to start his family, so expect to get busier there!

Sounds like they are paying the price too Chimaera, by missing out on you.

We haven't got any grandchildren yet BUT we get "Dad can you take my car to be MOT'd?" or "Can you take these 3 bags full of clothes to the charity shop?" or "When you are out shopping can you get 6 boxes of cat food?". We are also the place where all their parcels are delivered as they are all out at work. We don't, of course, mind and will be more than happy to help out with child care if we are lucky enough to become grandparents...........fingers crossed!!

Just yesterday when we got back from a few days away in Wales DD Whatsapped to ask if we could have little one overnight on Friday, including school pick-up (later today) ten miles away. She mentioned she'd packed dancing school clothes too, so could we possibly drop her off there (twelve miles away) on Saturday morning at the crack of dawn?

Of course we can. No worries.

I do think we are the first generation of grandparents who are so mobile, and so obliging though.

Now that my son’s children no longer need childcare, contact is few and far between. They are a busy family, with an active social life, so I have told him to let me know when they are around and if I can I will pop over, as it is only 20 mins drive. Apart from WhatsApp holiday photos, I haven’t heard from him for ages. I know I will get ticked off when we do make contact, but it takes two.

Happens all the time with me only son does the contacting. Sometimes it's a "wondering if you are doing g anything this weekend" start to conversation. He and DIL fancy a night out and could I collect GD and have her for weekend taking her back on Sunday. Only a 70mile round trip each for collect and delivery! Still I love it.