<p>1moremom: “My hope is that if you start them young you won’t have to wrench the controller/whatever from their hands.”</p>
<p>I wish you the very best with this…</p>
<p>My son is an Eagle scout but he really prefers indoor activites.</p>
<p>I’m guessing I will have more success with one son’s (imaginary) children than the other’s. I also understand the value of compromise. I have memories of driving around the southwestern National Parks with one son’s head under his gore-tex jacket so he could see his computer screen. (In my mind, we are driving by the Grand Canyon.) He always wanted to know when we’d have the next night at a hotel, so he could charge his battery.</p>
<p>I’m so glad you were joking. These future grandchildren (and their parents) will certainly have their own ideas, but I’d love to go!!</p>
<p>One of my children things walking through NYC to a further Starbucks is an outdoor activity.</p>
<p>The other went to Williamstown and spends time hiking in the Hopkins Forest.</p>
<p>Both limit computer time to while their watching TV, a sort of kill two electronic birds with one mouse and one span of time.</p>
<p>Well, I think you can have the best of both worlds. I love the outdoors…but I’ve never been a fan of tent camping. So I’m planning to drag my imaginary grandkids on hikes and long bike rides. Maybe even some kayaking. Get nice and tired. Come back and have a glass of wine (just me and DH of course!), throw some stuff on the grill, take in a fun movie, and collapse in my cushy bed. If they want to sit there and text…fine. And if they hate the outdoors, well, they’ll stop visiting at some point I’m sure…but hey I’m just dreaming anyway (maybe I’ll wander over to the Inception thread?)</p>
<p>I love the imaginary grandkids.</p>
<p>I am planning triple bunks for them in our new (smaller) home. (Our architect knows all about these children. In the meantime the room will be a soundproofed practice room for DH and his guitars.)</p>
<p>^^Maybe you can do those bunks that hang down from the wall and can be folded up when not in use.</p>
<p>We hope to live close enough to the imaginary grandkids that we can actually help out with them- especially while they’re very young. I remember fondly how much my kids loved my MIL and FIL, and the times they spent together were priceless. And what a nice break for DH and myself! Even now, of all our family members, my daughter values the opinion of her fraternal grandmother. She was the one who turned said daughter around when she was a rebellious 15 year old. Disappointing Grandma Katie hurts. </p>
<p>My own mom didn’t spend much time with the kids growing up, and it shows today.
So, all you dreaming prospective grandparents, keep that attitude! Your presence in their lives is very important. You can’t be replaced with video games or computers any more than our grandparents were replaced with television.<br>
Besides, we can play video games!</p>
<p>Oh yes, I already love my imaginary grandchildren. And I’m fine with video games to a point. </p>
<p>It’s just that I’d rather have them ride a real roller coaster than ride a pretend one on a video game.</p>
<p>Last Christmas, I taught my 11 year old nephew how to play Yatzhee. He had never played! Before we were done almost every member of my family had joined in. </p>
<p>When we opened my mom’s Yatzhee game, there were old scorecards from the 70s with my name, my brothers name, and my grandparents names written on them. It made me physically ache. I miss them. They were wonderful.</p>
<p>I hope my non existant grandchildren will love me as much as I already love them. :-)</p>
<p>This thread got me so excited that I went to Craigslist and started cruising the small RV’s, thinking about the benfits of a truck camper, or a converted van… 
Used ones are very reasonable, price-wise! Lots of them on the market now… Just 8-15 more years of work, or so… :eek:</p>
<p>I have floated the possibility of an RV to live in while our new house is being built; the response from DH has been something less than overwhelming. Of course, I want an Airstream. ;)</p>
<p>I can understand why DH would be apprehensive about living in such a small space. Thats why I would want both a condo and a RV. I admire eDad, and think what he is doing is awesome, but I don’t think I could live just in a RV the rest of my life.</p>
<p>We made the move from a 3 bedroom house with a basement to a 1300 square foot condo, and we are great with that, but condo to RV… might be pushing it.</p>
<p>DH would require his tv, laptop and a satellite dish. If he has that, he would be fine. I would need my laptop, but I would how Internet access would work in a RV? I need the Internet so I know what’s happening with my kids during the time that I am not parked in their driveways. :-)</p>
<p>So Vderon, how is the condo life after living in a house?</p>
<p>dstark, we love it, but it helps that the condo was really designed nicely. It has a larger feel because it has high ceilings in the living room and a loft built right over the kitchen.</p>
<p>We have a huge walk in closet and two smaller closets, and a good amount of cabinet space. We have a guest room and 2 bathrooms. So honestly it hasn’t been much of a hardship to get used to the smaller space.</p>
<p>We love not having to mow lawns, shovel and take care of all the outside stuff. We work out 3 times a week and occasionally use the tennis court and pool.</p>
<p>I miss my big kitchen and my family. Other than that, we love the condo and our life here. It helps that we moved from cold Chicago to sunny Florida. It’s like being on vacation every day.</p>
<p>I absolutely adore my imaginary grandchildren. We bought our future house with enough room for them and their parents. My H can’t wait. I look at my kids and think, a few more years woudln’t hurt…</p>
<p>We will take them fishing and kayaking and mucking and clamming and just hanging around. My kids will be reinforcing this, so I think we have a chance. Pretty sure that D’s future kids’ dad is in the picture, and he’s an outdoorsy-type Eagle Scout. S will just have to make sure he doesn’t find a girl who doesn’t get with the program. :)</p>
<p>Vderon, sounds great. I am sick of taking care of a house. I’m glad it is working out for you.</p>
<p>garland, you are going to be a wonderful grandparent! I want to hang out with you- why wouldn’t your grandchildren?</p>
<p>I can’t wait… but I can . My kids need to have their adventures first.</p>
<p>Vderon–:)</p>
<p>My god, everyone is so happy here…</p>