Grandparent's/Special Friend Day

[poster]

Does anyone else dread this? The in-laws don't truly get along and of course the divorced ones have to bring their significant others. Why? - they aren't grandparents. Tried making that clear one year and everybody just got po'd.
Sometimes I just wish we didn't live near family!

On top of the disfunctional family issues I feel the school is trying to profit from the day. Why is the book fair held on the same day and why are pictures necessary. We've opted out of pictures and I've told my child not to take them to the book fair - they're to stay in the classroom.

Grandparents are usually retired and some on a fixed income. I know last year about $60 was spent overall by my child grandparents. I was really bothered by this - they came to visit my child and got bribed into spending money. I know they are capable of saying NO but please, how many grandparents want and will try to spoil their grandkids. Don't prey on them!

 

[sccrmommy]

My daughters school made it out to be this really big day etc. I'm a single Mom and my whole family lives in NY, so when we saw it on the calendar at the beginning of the year we called the grandparents to give them the heads up and they bought their plane tickets down. Then the zoo trip was the next day, no my grandparents said they would go with her. So they pay to fly down here, then they buy the pics, then they pay to go on the field trip-and it turns out "grandparents day" was on 1.5 hours!!!! WTF? Why not call it Grandparents morning? Not day, it wasn't a day! UGH! So needless to say this year I'm going as her "special" guest and they are saving a few hundred dollars and staying home!

 

[dixiepeach]

I dread this day too. My mother lives 2 hours away but it always "conflicts" with her social calendar so she never comes..inlaws have decided they don't want to be grandparents. It really hurts my child to see his firnds with grandparents who truly love them.

 

[poster]

I dread this day too. My mother lives 2 hours away but it always "conflicts" with her social calendar so she never comes..inlaws have decided they don't want to be grandparents. It really hurts my child to see his firnds with grandparents who truly love them.

I do have to say that one of the many reasons I love my parents is because they understand the BS I have to go through with the in-laws. They usually say "Hi" to our child and then "adopt" a classmate who doesn't have a visitor. Mostly they attend because my child would be hurt they didn't at least show up, they're happy to make another child's day if possible.

 

[dixiepeach]

Your kids are truly blessed to have grandparents who care about them. What is it about grandparents today???

 

[cattitude]

What is it about grandparents today???

I'm a grandparent..3 grandkids. I work..have a full-time job. I get up at 4:30 a.m., get on a commuter bus to DC and don't get home until 6 p.m. I have my own home to take care of, I help my elderly parents and take care of my 96 year old grandmother. My husband and I are expected to attend every sporting event, school event, etc. We do the best that we can.

I was talking with my husband about this the other day. We remember our parents making sure they took us to see our grandparents. Times sure have changed.

 

[CalvertNewbie]

I'm a grandparent..3 grandkids. I work..have a full-time job. I get up at 4:30 a.m., get on a commuter bus to DC and don't get home until 6 p.m. I have my own home to take care of, I help my elderly parents and take care of my 96 year old grandmother. My husband and I are expected to attend every sporting event, school event, etc. We do the best that we can.

I was talking with my husband about this the other day. We remember our parents making sure they took us to see our grandparents. Times sure have changed.

Hubby & I don't have kids yet (hopefully soon!) but I know what you mean. My parents & my inlaws knew how important it was for us to have a relationship with our grandparents. Both my Mom's parents passed on by the time I was 7. Although I was so young, having spent every Sunday over there means a lot to me even now - many great memories. My Dad's Mom used to take me & a few of my cousins upstate NY for a month in the summer (log cabin on a lake, built by relatives a long time ago). Again, so many great memories.

Hubby's brothers both have kids. They rarely bring them to see my inlaws, even though one of them only lives 15 minutes away. My inlaws are great people & are so hurt by this. When we have kids, we want to make sure that they see their grandparents. It's not always easy - time seems to fly by as busy as everyone is. My inlaws are in DE & my parents are in NY but somehow, we'll make the time.

 

[dixiepeach]

The children who have grandparents in their lives are lucky. I just wish mine did.

 

[sccrmommy]

Hubby & I don't have kids yet (hopefully soon!) but I know what you mean. My parents & my inlaws knew how important it was for us to have a relationship with our grandparents. Both my Mom's parents passed on by the time I was 7. Although I was so young, having spent every Sunday over there means a lot to me even now - many great memories. My Dad's Mom used to take me & a few of my cousins upstate NY for a month in the summer (log cabin on a lake, built by relatives a long time ago). Again, so many great memories.

Hubby's brothers both have kids. They rarely bring them to see my inlaws, even though one of them only lives 15 minutes away. My inlaws are great people & are so hurt by this. When we have kids, we want to make sure that they see their grandparents. It's not always easy - time seems to fly by as busy as everyone is. My inlaws are in DE & my parents are in NY but somehow, we'll make the time.

I'm from upstate NY!!!

 

[godsbutterfly]

The children who have grandparents in their lives are lucky. I just wish mine did.

I know what you mean. My children have grandparents on their father's side who do everything in the world for them and with them. My parents died over 10 years ago but even when they were alive they did not involve themselves much with their grandchildren. I do as much with and for my kids and grandkids as I can. What a blessing!

 

[toppick08]

I know what you mean. My children have grandparents on their father's side who do everything in the world for them and with them. My parents died over 10 years ago but even when they were alive they did not involve themselves much with their grandchildren. I do as much with and for my kids and grandkids as I can. What a blessing![/QUOTE]

To have a grandma as as you............

 

[atrusomder]

Does anyone else dread this? of course the divorced ones have to bring their significant others. Why? - they aren't grandparents. Tried making that clear one year and everybody just got po'd.
Sometimes I just wish we didn't live near family!

Seems funny, we have one like that in our family, My mom insist that my kids call her boyfriend of 10+ years "Poppie" as they do their other grandfather.
I refuse to allow my children to even call him anything that would associate him as a grandfather, I tell them that he is to be called Mr. "hisname".

He isn't their grandfather and never will.
Urghhhh,
oh, and grandparents day, She's like,,,, well if I can't make it, He will take off to be there for them.
Honestly, I would rather him NOT attend with or without you.....

 

[morningbell]

Does anyone else dread this? The in-laws don't truly get along and of course the divorced ones have to bring their significant others. Why? - they aren't grandparents. Tried making that clear one year and everybody just got po'd.
Sometimes I just wish we didn't live near family!

On top of the disfunctional family issues I feel the school is trying to profit from the day. Why is the book fair held on the same day and why are pictures necessary. We've opted out of pictures and I've told my child not to take them to the book fair - they're to stay in the classroom.

Grandparents are usually retired and some on a fixed income. I know last year about $60 was spent overall by my child grandparents. I was really bothered by this - they came to visit my child and got bribed into spending money. I know they are capable of saying NO but please, how many grandparents want and will try to spoil their grandkids. Don't prey on them!

I'm looking on my calendar and I see nothing about this at my son's school. I don't know what school your kids are going to but I'm glad my parents don't have to make the 4 hour pilgramage down for that.

 

[happyazz]

I'm looking on my calendar and I see nothing about this at my son's school. I don't know what school your kids are going to but I'm glad my parents don't have to make the 4 hour pilgramage down for that.

Calvert County Schools.

 

[godsbutterfly]

Calvert County Schools.

I like your siggy - lots of truth to it.

 

[poster]

Seems funny, we have one like that in our family, My mom insist that my kids call her boyfriend of 10+ years "Poppie" as they do their other grandfather.
I refuse to allow my children to even call him anything that would associate him as a grandfather, I tell them that he is to be called Mr. "hisname".

He isn't their grandfather and never will.
Urghhhh,
oh, and grandparents day, She's like,,,, well if I can't make it, He will take off to be there for them.
Honestly, I would rather him NOT attend with or without you.....

I feel your pain!! While I was pregnant I was cornered by the father-in-laws live in girlfriend, "What will this baby call me, Grandma ****?". Of course it was out of earshot of my father-in-law who was pizzed when he found out. I told her I did not know and had not thought about it. After my daughter was born we refered to her by first name and that sent her into a tizzy. When asked why we explained, "because your not married, how do I explain why Grandma **** isn't here anymore if you split?" They're still unmarried and argue all the time. She signs all cards/presents Grandma ****, my daughter calls her by name.

I also had the problem of, "Santa came and dropped this off for you" or the Easter Bunny. She labled large gifts from Santa and small from them. Finally put a stop to it but she has to be TOLD and make big drama out of it. It can't be suggested politely and she get the hint. Kid was thinking Santa would bring her the world everywhere she went. I could go on and on, she's a piece of work.

 

[poster]

I'm a grandparent..3 grandkids. I work..have a full-time job. I get up at 4:30 a.m., get on a commuter bus to DC and don't get home until 6 p.m. I have my own home to take care of, I help my elderly parents and take care of my 96 year old grandmother. My husband and I are expected to attend every sporting event, school event, etc. We do the best that we can.

I was talking with my husband about this the other day. We remember our parents making sure they took us to see our grandparents. Times sure have changed.

I, as would my child, fully understand if the grandparent's couldn't come for any reason. I also visit grandparents, not them to us.

I shouldn't complain, my daughter is very fortunate. She is a 5th generation child, she still has (1) Great Great, (5) Great and all (4) Grandparents. Still I get so tired of the drama of it all. I really wish I could go to my daughter and just say, "Who do you want to ask?". It would be so much easier, problem is she has so many and some want to out do the others. If I leave any of them out then there's hell to pay.

 

[poster]

OK - So the drama continues....I specifically asked the unmarried grandparents (two of them) if they would be bringing their "significant others", had to give school head count as asked. I also indicated in a mailed reminder/invitation to all grandparents that I wouldn't be buying pictures this year so bring a camera for your own shots.

Now one of them calls, I answer, they ask for my husband and proceed to ask why no photos. "Is it because **** is coming? Why aren't you doing photos?" - I mailed the note, I made the call to invite. Why wouldn't they just ask me directly?! For the record, the one that's asking, their significant other refused to be in the photo last year! Made a big deal about it and then called us and tried to tell us that he was excluded!

I'm tired of being roped into buying photos 3x's a year, twice is enough thank you!
Sorry - Had to vent.

 

[DQ2B]

I'm with you (op) as well but not for the same reason. Grandparents all live too far away to attend and I always feel so bad that my kids don't have anyone there on that day.

 

[sccrmommy]

OK - So the drama continues....I specifically asked the unmarried grandparents (two of them) if they would be bringing their "significant others", had to give school head count as asked. I also indicated in a mailed reminder/invitation to all grandparents that I wouldn't be buying pictures this year so bring a camera for your own shots.

Now one of them calls, I answer, they ask for my husband and proceed to ask why no photos. "Is it because **** is coming? Why aren't you doing photos?" - I mailed the note, I made the call to invite. Why wouldn't they just ask me directly?! For the record, the one that's asking, their significant other refused to be in the photo last year! Made a big deal about it and then called us and tried to tell us that he was excluded!

I'm tired of being roped into buying photos 3x's a year, twice is enough thank you!
Sorry - Had to vent.

Tell them you're not buying b.c you buy too many pictures now as it is, BUT, if they want photos they are more than welcome to buy them themselves! That'll shut them up!