https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 29 Apr 2026 16:39:02 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-involved-were-your-grandparents#post-2356521 Sat, 14 Nov 2015 17:09:16 +0000 Mrs. D 2356521@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My maternal grandparents were my babysitters from the time I was born when my mom went back to work until I was in jr high and could be trusted to go home alone for lunch.</p> <p>I saw my paternal ones a few times a year. My husband had the same experience with his grandmothers.</p> <p>To be fair, my moms parents lived in the same city as us, none of the others did,</p> <p>Now with dd, my mom took her every Saturday I had to work and the one evening my retail job demanded when my mat leave ended, until I got my last teaching job and we moved across country.</p> <p>Now we're home again and I have a weekday job here, so she doesn't sit often. My husband is away a lot for work so the couple of times we had a date night, she took dd overnight for a sleepover. My inlaws live 4 hours away so they're not involved either. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-involved-were-your-grandparents#post-2356251 Sat, 14 Nov 2015 02:24:33 +0000 lemondrop 2356251@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>All of our grandparents were very involved. My mom's live across the street from our old house and we ran tame through their house every day. Sunday night dinners were a must. I saw my Dad's parents every school break. My husband's grandparents were a somewhat similar setup as well. </p> <p>My parents we see every 4-6 weeks and his parents we see at least quarterly. They are all becoming more comfortable with watching the boys. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-involved-were-your-grandparents#post-2356247 Sat, 14 Nov 2015 02:11:12 +0000 simplyfelicity 2356247@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My dad's parents were really amazing and truly special people. My best and favorite childhood memories include them. </p> <p>My mom's parents were/are less close. They moved further away because they didn't want to be "full time babysitters. " Totally their perogative but means we were less close. We saw them on holidays, when they came to town, etc but never felt especially close to them. </p> <p>DS is only 4 months old, so it's hard to say how things will turn out but all three grandparents (my FIL passed away many years ago) are very involved thus far. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-involved-were-your-grandparents#post-2356244 Sat, 14 Nov 2015 01:43:37 +0000 PawPrints 2356244@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Both sets of my grandparents were a full day's travel away when I was growing up, but we were still close to them and visited both pairs at least once a year. They really doted on all their grandchildren. It's looking like DD will have a similar relationship with her grandparents, if not even closer, which is wonderful. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-involved-were-your-grandparents#post-2356237 Sat, 14 Nov 2015 00:50:57 +0000 looch 2356237@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My grandparents lived on another continent and we didn't see them much.</p> <p>I didn't miss having them involved in my life unti my son was born, then I wanted my son to have what I didn't. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-involved-were-your-grandparents#post-2354938 Thu, 12 Nov 2015 20:55:53 +0000 Mrs. Sunshine 2354938@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My maternal grandparents lived in other states so they weren't super involved. They tried though. There were a fee summers when we stayed there without my parents for a couple weeks.</p> <p>My paternal grandmother helped out a lot. She would have all 6 of her grandkids over for weekend long sleepovers quite often. She took/takes great care of us.</p> <p>DH's maternal grandma was very involved and watched him often.</p> <p>My parents are amazing and extremely active and helpful. His parents are around and see them but are not helpful in the least. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-involved-were-your-grandparents#post-2354894 Thu, 12 Nov 2015 20:06:11 +0000 Mae 2354894@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My parents are very involved. They live about 2 hrs away and have come down to see our LO every 2-3 weeks since she was born (at least). They're now building a house in our city to be near us and my mom plans to watch LO at least one day/week (just because she wants to, it won't really save us much in daycare costs). She's also said that when LO is older she'll be happy to take her weekends sometimes we we can have a break. </p> <p>My grandparents were extremely involved as well. I lived across the street from my paternal grandparents and saw them on a several times weekly basis. Because we were so close I pretty much always had the option of going there when my mom was running errands and I didn't want to go. I stayed overnight there regularly as well just because it was fun. In the summer I think I lived at their house almost as much as my own because I just liked spending time with them. My mom's mom lived across town so I maybe only saw her once or twice/month but I also spent nights at her apartment regularly. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-involved-were-your-grandparents#post-2354891 Thu, 12 Nov 2015 20:03:15 +0000 mrbee 2354891@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We visited one grandma (local), but the other grandma was overseas and both grandpas died relatively young. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-involved-were-your-grandparents#post-2354882 Thu, 12 Nov 2015 19:54:10 +0000 BananaPancakes 2354882@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My father's parents passed away before I was born, so, yeah, not involved. But my maternal grandparents lived right down the road and were heavily involved and a huge part of my childhood. My grandma is a pretty cool lady.<br /> My mom remarried after my father passed, but my step-dad's parents lived far away and we only saw them like once a year. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-involved-were-your-grandparents#post-2354873 Thu, 12 Nov 2015 19:48:12 +0000 regberadaisy 2354873@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sunny: haha exactly my mom. ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-involved-were-your-grandparents#post-2354871 Thu, 12 Nov 2015 19:46:27 +0000 autumnlove 2354871@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Not at all. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-involved-were-your-grandparents#post-2354868 Thu, 12 Nov 2015 19:45:08 +0000 brady80 2354868@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My parents are very involved. We see them weekly and they babysit often, my LO has a room at their house. My maternal grandmother lived in our town and we saw her daily. Growing up she watched us and some of the neighborhood kids. She was basically a third parent to us. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-involved-were-your-grandparents#post-2354679 Thu, 12 Nov 2015 16:43:41 +0000 twodoghouse 2354679@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>One set was across the country and we saw them once or twice a year, when my dad was on good terms with his parents. His mom has mental health issues and has been estranged from all of her children on and off their entire lives. So things were very hot and cold with that set of grandparents. </p> <p>We were very close to my mom's parents. We actually lived there for the first few years of my sister and my lives. After that we lived 45 min away and saw them monthly and all holidays. They came for our sports games, concerts, school programs, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-involved-were-your-grandparents#post-2354650 Thu, 12 Nov 2015 16:32:30 +0000 sapphire 2354650@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Quite involved. Regular babysitting and they each try to see LO about every other week. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-involved-were-your-grandparents#post-2354631 Thu, 12 Nov 2015 16:27:33 +0000 birdofafeather 2354631@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My maternal grandparents died before I was born and when I was little and my paternal grand parents lived across the country. So not very involved at all but I do have fond memories of my paternal grandparents before they passed. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-involved-were-your-grandparents#post-2354611 Thu, 12 Nov 2015 16:22:18 +0000 LindsayLou 2354611@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My grandparents had very little involvement. My dad's parents were significantly older--my grandpa was 82 when I was born--and they lived out of state. We visited them once a year for most of our childhood. My mom's dad lived out of state as well and we maybe saw him and his wife once a year. My mom's mom was the closest geographically and has always been the most involved. We saw her 6 or 7 times a year. She occasionally took me overnight when I was little, but that didn't last and the only time she had more than one of us was when my youngest brother was born, </p> <p>My parents are already way more involved. My husbands parents are making an effort as well. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-involved-were-your-grandparents#post-2354588 Thu, 12 Nov 2015 16:11:03 +0000 Freckles 2354588@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My paternal grandma pretty much raised my sister and me. Without her, my parents wouldn't have been able to make it! She lived with us from when I was born until 5 years ago when she moved into a long term care facility. She was my second mother and I loved her dearly. </p> <p>I never met my maternal grandma or paternal grandpa- they both died before my parents got married. I met my maternal grandpa once.</p> <p>@sunny: it was definitely hard on my mom because they were barely married 1 year before she moved in! My dad insisted she wouldn't be around for long because of a heart condition...and yet she passed away 35 years later! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-involved-were-your-grandparents#post-2354547 Thu, 12 Nov 2015 15:55:30 +0000 blackbird 2354547@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>not really on all accounts. my parents are repeating the cycle. I'm really glad E has my MIL. She is so amazing and everything I'd like to be for my grandkids someday! She toes that perfect line of having her own things going on, helping us all out, being involved with the kids, but not imposing (and acknowledging when I don't want to impose myself, but inviting herself in appropriately, heh. i hate taking advantage) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-involved-were-your-grandparents#post-2354520 Thu, 12 Nov 2015 15:45:52 +0000 snowjewelz 2354520@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My grandma pretty much raised me but I don't remember since I was super young. I saw my grandparents (mom's side) regularly. So now my parents are very involved too, if not more! They live close by, my mom watches DD a lot, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-involved-were-your-grandparents#post-2354472 Thu, 12 Nov 2015 15:29:26 +0000 Rockies11 2354472@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My mom's parents died when we were young, but they might have been a bit more involved even though we lived a long ways away. My dad's parents were total assholes who didn't even know our names. We saw them a handful of times growing up. They were mean to my dad when he was a kid too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-involved-were-your-grandparents#post-2354436 Thu, 12 Nov 2015 15:18:28 +0000 gingerbebe 2354436@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My paternal grandmother took care of us after school as kids until we were old enough to be latch key kids (but she lived 2 doors down anyway). Before we moved to America, we also lived with my paternal grandparents full time so I'm sure my grandmother helped a lot when I was little.</p> <p>My maternal grandparents lived in another country, but they were very lavish in their gifts and attention the few weeks a year we could see them. We would often spend a month at a time living with them and it was the best memories we have as kids. Even now, they are monetarily generous for graduations, weddings, etc.</p> <p>DH's paternal grandparents were out of the picture but his maternal grandparents were a daily fixture in all their grandkids' lives. They were literally just full-time retired grandparents and took grandparenting as their job. They commuted in (like an hour distance) every day together as a couple to help where they could. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-involved-were-your-grandparents#post-2354414 Thu, 12 Nov 2015 15:08:43 +0000 sunny 2354414@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My maternal grandmother lived with us. As a kid, I loved it but looking back, I can see how it was hard on both my parents.</p> <p>All of my other grandparents lived quite far away so I never saw much of them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-involved-were-your-grandparents#post-2354391 Thu, 12 Nov 2015 15:02:33 +0000 fancyfunction 2354391@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Mine were very involved - babysat me a lot and I spent a lot of summer days at their house whiley parents worked and I wasn't at camp. My parents and MIL are also very involved, they come by during the week at least once a week and are our go-to babysitters. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-involved-were-your-grandparents#post-2354390 Thu, 12 Nov 2015 15:01:47 +0000 lamariniere 2354390@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Not involved. My mom was estranged from her family so we didn't see those grandparents much. My dad's dad lived in Thailand so we rarely saw him and there was a language barrier. But I never knew what it was like to have involved grandparents, so I didn't miss it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-involved-were-your-grandparents#post-2354370 Thu, 12 Nov 2015 14:53:34 +0000 Mamaof2 2354370@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My parents divorced when I was young - we saw my dads parents only at Christmas.</p> <p>Saw my grandma about once a month </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-involved-were-your-grandparents#post-2354363 Thu, 12 Nov 2015 14:52:31 +0000 rachiecakes 2354363@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>They pretty much raised me.<br /> We stayed at their house all the time and saw them every day, drove us to/from lessons, school, etc. Sunday dinner at their house every week.<br /> My grandmother was the person I would call if I needed anything at all.<br /> My mom is kind of a hands-off person and my parents have visited our home maybe 3 or 4 times in the 16 years we've lived here (45 minutes from them). </p> <p>I would hope to be more like my grandmother was to me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-involved-were-your-grandparents#post-2354358 Thu, 12 Nov 2015 14:51:37 +0000 LuLu Mom 2354358@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My paternal grandparents watched us all the time, they lived on a farm and me and my cousins used to spend weeks at a time there in the summer, it was our favorite place and some of my fondest memories. My maternal grandparents lived several states away so we would visit once in summer and they came for Christmas, that was about it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-involved-were-your-grandparents#post-2354354 Thu, 12 Nov 2015 14:50:53 +0000 mediagirl 2354354@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Not at all. They lived in different states and we saw them a couple times a year. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-involved-were-your-grandparents#post-2354353 Thu, 12 Nov 2015 14:50:17 +0000 oliviaoblivia 2354353@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My mom's dad moved to be closer to us when he retired. We'd hang out with him after school. He was amazing.</p> <p>My dad's parents lived seven hours away but we're very involved when we did see them.</p> <p>My folks are far away but very involved considering the distance. FIL is 90 and in no position to help. MIL is too self involved to help. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-involved-were-your-grandparents#post-2354352 Thu, 12 Nov 2015 14:50:02 +0000 Greentea 2354352@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Mine were very involved. Before the divorce they lived across the lake and we saw them everyday. After, my grandfather came to get us every weekend and we stayed with them then he drove us back. </p>