Friday 22 December 2017

God knew what he was doing!

I have friends who have said this and I will reiterate it - God definitely knew what he was doing when he decreed that you have to be young to have children.   My great grand daughter (aged 1) has been for the afternoon with her mum and dad.    She is a darling and it is so fascinating to watch the language and learning processes going on all the time as she wanders about exploring things.   But how very tiring for her mum and dad.  I suppose it was the same in my day but it is so long ago that the memory has faded into obscurity.

Now they have gone and I have loaded the dishwasher and written a post of sorts, I shall go and put my feet up and read the paper.   See you tomorrow.

22 comments:

Jules said...

Tiring, but lots of fun. X

Bonnie said...

Oh yes, you are so right on that one! How I love children and when our grandchildren were little they would often spend the night. It was so much fun but I do remember how exhausted I was when they left! And I was much younger then too!

Although tiring, it must be very special to get to enjoy your great-granddaughter!

justjill said...

Aye I was 31 before I had my first. The next 3 came in quick succession. Now we are into grandchildren. Fortunately my memory has gone.

Gerry Snape said...

...the joy of the old....is that we can give them back to their parents......

Anonymous said...

Our granddaughter is 3 and we are excited for Christmas day as we will be with her this year - I expect we will be worn out by tea time.

Sue said...

Tiring for sure ... but lovely.

I have just found out that I will be Great Grandma in May of next year and I'm still a spring chicken myself 😉

Terra said...

Oh yes, parenting the little ones is best done when young. Of course at my age, almost everyone looks young to me. Ha ha. I do wonder about having a baby when older and then facing the child's teen years, you need all your strength for that!

Mac n' Janet said...

I often wonder when I see an older couple with young children if they're the parents or grandparents and think they'd better have more energy than I had at that age if they're the parents. I'm glad I had mine when I was too young to know any better. My younger sister is raising her grandchildren and I don't know how she does it.

Bea said...

Between the ages of 40-45, I would have well-meaning (?) people tell me that I could still have children, if I wanted too. I would usually say something along the lines of: Well, if it hasn't happened by now...! But, honestly, I don't think I would have had the stamina for it!

Margaret Butterworth said...

As people put off having children till they are older, many of us will not live long enough to see our great grandchildren!

Cro Magnon said...

For grandparents it's a very pleasant tiredness. When I get tired, I pass them over to Lady Magnon. When she gets tired, she passes them back to the parents. It all works out OK.

Derek Faulkner said...

Children are purely for people that like and want them and I greatly admire any woman that chooses not to have children, despite having to endure many years of both questioning and lecturing from other people.

Librarian said...

I have been married twice (once divorced, once widowed) and would very much love to marry one last time, now that I have found the love of my life two years ago, the man I can imagine growing old with. But children have never been part of the picture for me. Even though I had a happy childhood with the best parents and grandparents, I never wanted children myself, and I knew this as early as the age of eight. I vividly remember how I told my grandma this, and how she laughed at me, saying I could not possibly know this until I would be much older. But I was angry at her not taking me seriously, because I KNEW.
Anyway, I don't dislike children, I just don't want my own.
The toddler years are the most exhausting, aren't they, when the little ones are big enough to get around on their own two feet and reach things, but not old enough yet to understand why some things are best left untouched.

Heather said...

How I agree with your opening sentence. I thought my family was complete when, aged 39, I discovered that a late arrival was on her way. Her youngest sibling was 11 and the others in their teens. It was like starting all over again. However, she has been such a blessing and we have a wonderful relationship.

Rachel Phillips said...

My mother had four children quite close together, worked on the farm with my father, raised chickens on her own, plucked and dressed 50 for the Christmas trade (always prayed for frosts at Christmas, no fridges) supplied eggs to Sainsburys all year from hens outside, all to help make ends meet. I never remember her complaining that we were a handful, then or later, we just helped her out and all had duties like shutting up chicken huts at dusk, the oldest child would run to the furthest field and so forth downwards. Later she never helped with her grandchildren saying that she had done her bit and it was up to them to raise their own children.

Linda Metcalf said...

I love my grands and great grands but am just rung out when they leave....I pick up anything left and then get my feet up for a while to regain strength :)

Sue said...

If I am ever blessed with grandchildren I worry that I won't have the energy to enjoy them.

Maria said...

I echo Sue here above.
Greetings Maria x

Minigranny said...

Love it when my Grandchildren come to visit and equally I love it when we wave them goodbye!

Karen thisoldhouse2.com said...


I loved every minute of raising the little ones, miss it dearly - but enjoy their company now as adults just as well.

The Weaver of Grass said...

So interesting to read all your stories but it does seem we are all agreed that you need to be young and fit.

krishna said...

you have a great time with the little one.. :)