I watched grandchild #1 one day a week till he started preschool. I moved on to grandchild #3 one day a week. Now local daughter has child #2 and I’m trying to figure out a way to spend a day a week with him while still having time to do the things I enjoy. I loved the time I spent with the firstborn and want to have similar bonding time with the others.
Out of town daughter has her first day back in her office today since her baby was born 12 months ago. She had an hour commute each direction and didn’t want to be gone that long from her child. She has done some very part time work from home but it’s time to go back to work for more hours. She’s hoping to just commute one day a week and otherwise work from home.
My other daughter goes back to work Feb 1 st after a 4 month maternity leave.
Now there are a lot more options for work at home, so that is good on many fronts.
All our grands are in one family, so we spend time with all of them often together. This trip, younger two were in daycare which allowed us to spend more quality time with older two (4 1/2 and 5 1/2). When home, doing baby things with the 6 month old, and having lots of fun with 28 month old.
My Swiss cousin watched her grandchildren at her home one work day a week (the grandkids are about 1 city block away) when they were young. In Switzerland, a person can work 10% up to 100% (full time). Sometimes the mom and the dad work less than 100% at varying times of parenting.
Our niece works from home 20 hours a week and has a friend as nanny during her work time (sons are under 3 and 10 months old).
If any of you grandparents want to make prints or various gift projects from Walgreen’s, they have some great discounts which expire Saturday.
For each grandchild, I have had a 5 X 7 wood plaque made of a close up of their face when they were old enough to have a very distinct look. First one was canvas 4 X 6 but they don’t offer that size any more, so I have needed to go to the wood plaque. Just making up 3 of the now 7 month old GD (one for other grandparents, one for parents, one for us) - regular price for the 3 was $74.97, but with 70% off, $22.49.
They also have 15 cent prints if you make up 75 or more. I am now figuring out the prints I want to make up.
GDs have such a similar look at the age of 6 months. Will be posting side by side on Facebook today. Beautiful grandkids, in behavior, heart, and looks.
My son-in-law gave us a something called a Frameo (a digital photo frame) filled with photos of GD from birth to age three. We get tons of photos of GD from D and SIL in text messages (they don’t live nearby).
What’s nice about this is when you turn the frame on, there’s a constant stream of photos. At first I had an unkind (and most ungrandmother like) thought–how many more pictures do I need???
That being said, I have to admit that the frame is on my desk and when I’m working, I’ll look over at a photo of GD that’s appeared and it makes me happy.
We have an Aura digital frame that D1 and fiance gave H and I a year ago for Christmas. We don’t have grandkids yet, but both of our daughters and H and I are able to load photos on to the frame from an app. I love walking by the frame and stopping to see what pictures come up.
We received a Skylight digital frame as a gift. Multiple family members can upload pictures, we love it!
We got one of those frames for my mother-in-law and our daughters send photos to her regularly through it. We all live 1500 miles away from her and she really enjoys being able to see the grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Although last time I visited her she commented many times on the pictures of past events where all the folks in her generation had died. She’s 93 and really feeling it.
My sister takes a lot of time to have pictures made for individual little booklets for her two children (and one for themselves). IDK if she does some for the 5 grandkids (all 3 years to 12 years old). I bought a bunch of these empty booklets a few years ago, because I suspect at some point they will not be commonly available. My sister is not on Facebook, and only one of her sons is.
The other grandparents don’t see their sons/grandkids as often as we see ours - due to their health issues and living further away. So I try to supply them with some snapshots, and they do copy off of Facebook.
We want to open 529 plan for our first granddaughter for her first birthday. We are in CA and I see that the only option is ScholarShare 529 account. Looking for information from grandparents who have this plan. Anything we need to know before opening this for our granddaughter?
Thank you
My grandson has that account. I am not in CA. My advisor recommended that the parents open the account and I just contribute. I am not sure about it’s performance.
My understanding is that each state’s 529 is open to anyone for investing, not only residents, so it is possible for you to open an account in the state where the child lives.
Thank you @mominva ! Why it was preferred for parents to open that account?
Some friends moved here as their only child lives here and had their grandchild - grandma retired from her teaching job (had enough time in for retirement). Grandpa still works, able to work from home office.
SIL is starting a business and working FT; DD is working I believe 4 days/week FT. Grandma is finding being the lone caretaker of grandchild taking too much - and now a 2nd grandchild is on the way. Their daughter of course wants grandma to continue doing FT care “that is why you moved here”. Uh, no, not ‘slave to the master daughter’! IDK if expectations would have been there if this was not an ‘only child’ DD. Grandpa says the two are ‘butting heads’ w/o saying a lot.
Caveat - negotiate ‘ways out’ prior to accepting a non-paid babysitting/child care situation with DD/DS/DIL/SIL.
My sister watches her grandkids but doesn’t want nor agree to do it every day for all of them. The parents have to figure out other care for the other days. For most of them, they have in-laws that will watch the other days. My niece who doesn’t have local in-laws hired a nanny who is happy to watch the other days. Watching every day is a lot! With one it’s tough—two is MUCH harder.
It’s also good to have a backup in case the primary carer is ill or has other plans.
I love m’y daughters and GD, but I will not be the primary care of their kids. I have done my job of raising my kids. They need to do the same. If they can’t afford it then they shouldn’t have kids. I am on call for any emergency situation, but not for regular childcare.
I give kudos to you all who are doing it.
The little one is crawling so fast now, kids say. She is also very efficient at bear walks. 
With hardwood floors, kids think of getting her this:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08LGKZ3B8
Another niece has child in daycare at her H’s workplace. Her parents helped watch the infant and two dogs until they found a good daycare. The parents are off traveling this morning.
Husband and I are doing all except three mornings a week with DGD, 2- years-old, and 1 full day a week with DGS, 4-years-old. It is much harder with the 4- year-old because he is very energetic and doesn’t nap. We’ll see how long we can last with this schedule!
I enjoy my time with GD, but don’t think I could do it full time. I like having time to do other things I enjoy. That said, I will have her all day tomorrow and have a few other evening dates in the next several weeks.
I’ve been helping part-time in various iterations for the past two years or so. GD5yo is in full-time TK and will be in full public school next year. D is looking to put almost three GS into 9-3ish pre-k next year, then I will be off the hook, except probably picking up GS so D (work from home) can get a little more done. I’m looking forward to getting most of my time back, though the actual interactions with the two of them are wonderful. Schlepping in and out of cars and carseats, and up and down very steep stairs to their apartment, are wearing on my joints!