Whilst making a couple of personalised items for someone today, it got me a little emotional. As the time approaches to a certain someone's anniversary I always get wobbly about this time of year, thoughts turn to what could have been, the empty chair at the family table. Anyway as my emotions are a little heightened somewhat already, I couldn't help but ponder over the fact I have never known my grandparents on either side of my family....
I would loved to have made something like this for my own grandmother and always convey to the Poppins children how very special the two grandparents they have are and to always be kind to them. Having never experienced a Grandparent/Granddaughter relationship myself, it is lovely for me too see such a special relationship between them and my own children. We make our own way in life, although I do think me not having had a relationship with a grandparent I know or remember is something that makes me sad. Though such is life and onwards we go hoping to make the best of it. I would be interested to know about your grandparent relationships, does it make a difference to your life? Like me, have any of you not had or remember a grandparent role in your life, has it effected you in any way? I remember when I was little, maybe 6 or 7, I used to daydream of going to see *Granny* with her little crochet blanket on her lap, and she would drink tea in a proper china cup and we would talk about *Granny Stuff*. I was lucky though, as many of my friends at that time let me share their very own Granny, which gave me a little taster as to how special that Grandparent relationship can truly be....
my children have fantastic relationships with their grandparents. Mine were however abit rubbish! my dads parents just sat, drank tea and smelled abit funny! my mums were better and we had some great time with my gpa when we were younger. I never knew my 'nana' i had a step grandma and i have always felt that if nana had been around it would have been different, more sunggly some how. I'm glad my 2 have that ~'snuggly relationship.
ReplyDeleteHa ha your comment about them smelling *funny* made me smile :) I agree I think as am quite emotion driven, I would have loved to have remembered those snuggles, which am sure I must have had as a baby/young toddler with my one grandparent who was around for just a short while when I was that age.....Good excuse for extra snuggles around here :) x
DeleteLike you I grew up not having (blood related) grandparents. I cannot say it really affected me as I am close to my mums old foster parents and like to think of them as grandparents. I think there is a special bond between a grandad and granddaughter and when I eventually have children i will most certainly encourage them to appreciate them.
ReplyDeleteI think it is lovely Rachael that you have your mum's old foster parents as your special grandparents, what a special relationship. I so agree about the Grandad/Granddaughter relationship, I love to watch from a distance my own daughters with her Grandad, so special :) x
DeleteMy grandparents in my mom's side died when I was very young! On my dad's side when I was 10. I never knew any of them really very well! I do love they way my mom used to talk about her mom. I regret not knowing her for a longer period.
ReplyDeleteI agree Marianne, My mother talks so fondly of her own mum and I know they had a special relationship. I really wish I knew and remembered her, I love looking through the old photographs we have and am glad I have those :) x
DeleteBeing born to older parents means I never knew any of my Grandparents. I had a Grandfather, but sadly he died when I was around 4 years old so I have no recollection of him. I always longed for grandparents but our family is a little unusual. By the time I was born, my parents were grandparents so I got to see the wonderful relationship they had with their grandchildren (my siblings children) and that made me wish I had grandparents of my own even more. Sadly I have lost both my parents now, so my children don't have grandparents either. Their paternal grandparents chose not to be a part of their lives many years ago. It all makes me feel very very sad. We're so lucky that my new partners parents are wonderful substitute Grandparents & even though my children call them by their first names, they do get to have a taste of what having grandparents is like. x
ReplyDeleteNina, thank you so much for sharing your story. Thinking of you very much and your parents and grandparents no longer being with you. I think it is just lovely that your own children can look up to and see a little of that wonderful grandparent relationship with your partner's own parents and I think is to be treasured. Big hugs xx
DeleteThey're the best kind of grandparents too! The 'Grandma' spoils them with treats & goodies that they wouldn't usually get and the 'Grandpa' is usually found sitting on the floor playing some kind of card game or teaching them tricks. I feel incredibly lucky that they are so accepting of my children x
DeleteI do tend to agree, and perhaps I have an idealistic view/dream/image of how my grandparents were, I guess I just wish I had had the opportunity to just see....
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing :) x
I know how you feel my dear :( sadly my grandma on my mum's side passed away 2 weeks after I was born. She was every bit the doting granny sort, and my two older brothers tell me how much she used to spoil them and how often they'd visit.
ReplyDeleteMy granddad is still around although I've never seen that much of him. My granddad on my dad's side died before I could meet him and after an argument between my dad and my grandma and the fact she didn't really want anything to do with us meant I never particularly saw her.
Because of all that I never had a really close relationship with my grandparents in the same way that my partner does with his.
Fortunately as we've been together such a long time his nan has become like a real grandma to me and I feel like I'm finally finding out what I've been missing out on.
ah what a cute blog. I as a teenager was very lucky in the fact that I had 2 sets of granparents, & a great nan ( who at nearly 90 packed away 1/2 bottle of whisky & 40 fags a day lol) one set of grandparents lived a long way, and although the journey as a teenager got you down, we always had a nice day, a lovely tea, and good old fashioned cards or games . My other grandparents, we used to visit on a sunday got to the pub, huge family gathering, eat prawns & crisps & drink coke, and go back for the sunday roast with whoever fancied coming ! ( I think I have taken after this side of the family ) my blog is age is just a number and without making myself sound old, those were the days!!!!
ReplyDeleteI lost my grandparents very young too, it's sad and I think your right to cherish your kids relationships with theirs. I love your personalised stuff by the way, just gorgeous!!! X
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