Were You Close to Your Grandparents?

I was very close to my one grandmother. My parents had a 2 family home, and my Father's mother and sister lived on the other side. She would watch my brother and me while my parents (farmers) worked out in the fields and when they milked the cows. My other grandma lived very far away, so I never really got to know her hardly at all. Both of my grandfathers passed on way before I was born. I regret never having known either one of them. My children were very close to both sets of grandparents. My Mom passed away before they were born, and my Dad remarried later on, so they looked to my Step-Mother as their grandma. Both sets of grandparents lived close, so they got to see and visit with them a lot while growing up. I do think that having a relationship with the grandparents is a good thing for them to have. They see how their parents grew up, and makes everybody relate to each other better.

About 25 years ago, I do remember being with my grandparents and how close we were. Every time we go out, my grandmother buys my something. She always protected me when someone or something's going to hurt me. I appreciated that as well as my grandfather. They taught me, along with my parents, on some values. I am thinking that was the reason they were there. It is one of their important roles.

I used to spend a bit of time with my Grandma when i was younger but as i got older, we noticed the things she did differently with 1 side of the family compared to ours. (I have only ever had the 1 Grandparent - since i was 2 i think.) My Grandma has always played favourites but it has only become more obvious as we've gotten older. I have a daughter & a son on the way - she doesn't seem to care as her favourite Grandchild has an almost 1 year old now & that's all she seems to care about. My brother was drafted to our national football league to play with the big boys ^_^ my Grandmother was at her favourite son's house the whole time & made no effort to even drop by & congratulate her ONLY Grandson on his success. My daughter has a close relationship with my Mum & Dad but i think it's gotten to a point where i think they need some cooling off time. I know that might sound bad but my Mum insisted on weekly visits for the first 6 months or there abouts, then i got the guilt trip laid on me when i made it fortnightly (bi-weekly) & these routine visits have been going on for nearly 2 years now - it's a little excessive so it will be stopping. I want them to have a good relationship but i think every so often visits are a better idea, rather than a minimum of 26 a year (because my Mum WANTS them) - it's all too much! I don't mind the occasional phone call either :) I think that's more than enough!

Hello shizuoka!:-) I am sorry that you weren't able to enjoy your grandparents but I am really happy for your kids that they have a great relationship with their grandparents and they enjoy it very much. I am happy for you too, that you are able to experience this mutual happiness of two generations, one before you and one after. I know how they will feel after their grandparents would have gone. I am sure they, the grandparents, would also feel sad. When I was born, my maternal grandfather and paternal grandmother had already passed away. My paternal grandfather was off and on in hospital for over a year before my birth but he promised my father that he will live to see me, his eldest grandson, and he did honor his promise but passed away when I was 5 months old. So, the only conscious experience that I have is with my maternal grandmother. She is an old type lady, a little strict but very, very loving person. It makes me immensely happy that she is still between us. She is having problems with walking and some others but I pray that I get to see her as soon as my studies in France are finished. She calls me her son rather than a grand son. We used to go to our grandmother's house in winter and summer vacations. Summer vacations used to be for 2 months and the condition of my parents to allow us to go to her place was that we complete all the work given for vacation, and believe me we used to work day and night to finish it earliest to be able to go to my Nana's place. I miss her very much. Like her, I have always recognized her more as a mother than grandmother.

I am quite to my mom's parents. Actually I was brought up by them. I spent my childhood with them and really have a good time. They took good care of me. I do love them. They passed away about 3 years ago. Even now whenever I go to their graveyard, I will still cry. I just can't control it. My grandparents have left me a lot of great memories.

I am sorry that you didnt know your grandparents very well,I was really close with my grandparents on my dad's and saw them every Christmas,and other times throughout the year,up until they passed,I am still close to my grandma and my step grandpa on my moms side ,but no longer talk to my grandpa or step grandma on my mom's side because they arent very nice,and one fathers day he told us to no visit,just because my mom had a cold,so since then we havent talked to him or visited him,and I really dont care if we ever see him again.