My mom took it pretty hard when it finally dawned on her that I'm not having kids.
It's not that I'm totally against the idea. It's that "one day, when I have more money" turned out to never happen and I'm 32 now. I do wish I could have children, but only because I want someone there with me when I'm on my deathbed. All the other parts like letting go of your personal life and free money seem very undesirable to me
Hah yeah sorry, just speaking from personal experience, it can be sons too, though it's much rarer that fathers will hand over their kids to their grandmothers as far as i can tell since it's much harder for a man to gain custody of a child in the first place, if they win custody they usually tend to keep the kid around.
I was my Grandma's All Fun No Responsibility granddaughter till I lived with her for a semester for one of my placements and she found out that under the good grades, great career, nice kid presentation, there was a slutty pothead alcoholic bisexual opinionated feminist and all of a sudden having grandkids wasn't so fun
First grandchild last year. While i dearly loved and enjoyed my own kids and raising them through good and bad, i never got the obsession with grandchildren and after having one, that hasn't changed. Nice? Sure. Supercrazyincrediblyawesome? Nah.
I think many perceive them as a ticket to immortality, as in ok, now at least my genes are (reasonably) sure to survive after i am dead.
Maybe they're thinking they went to all the trouble of raising kids and what was the point if their kids don't have kids, and hurry up cos they don't want to die not knowing if it will happen.
I know several who are obsessed with continuing the daily lineage or making sure the last name continues. Shoot, look at how China overwhelmingly handled its one child policy.
Technically, don't all grandparents have grandchildren?
You say that like it's a bad thing.
Yeah I think OP needs to be taken for a walk. He's getting cranky.
My mom took it pretty hard when it finally dawned on her that I'm not having kids.
It's not that I'm totally against the idea. It's that "one day, when I have more money" turned out to never happen and I'm 32 now. I do wish I could have children, but only because I want someone there with me when I'm on my deathbed. All the other parts like letting go of your personal life and free money seem very undesirable to me
Or maybe having and raising children was the best part of their lives and they want that for their kids too.
Yeah and when they get whiny and annoying they can just pass them back off too, when they're solely your children you cant do that.
Yes! Exactly. Plus, who doesn't love more access to babies?
Uhmm... ✋️
That could have been worded better... Right?
Lots of people
No, raising kids is hell! humans are wired to forget the bad parts later on... can't have another explanation.
Exactly.
I'm going through some bad parts right now. Still worth it
Some grandparents raise their daughters kids.
Why only daughters? Grandparents raise their son's kids just as frequently.
once.
Hah yeah sorry, just speaking from personal experience, it can be sons too, though it's much rarer that fathers will hand over their kids to their grandmothers as far as i can tell since it's much harder for a man to gain custody of a child in the first place, if they win custody they usually tend to keep the kid around.
And your point? We've gotten away from the extended family where multiple generations raised kids. That's not necessarily a good thing.
Its not a bad thing either.
I look forward to raising grands one day. I know its not something everyone looks forward to.
Oh it's perfectly rational for grandparents to want grandchildren. Just like it's perfectly rational for you to want your best friend to get a boat.
Well then.. Lucky that I wasn't wanted
Grandparents need someone to take all the werther's originals
Grandparents need someone else to teach (ideally a VERY impressionable child) their ideologies to before they die.
Werther's Originals and those Strawberry Hard Candies that only old people have. I legit have NEVER seen them in any store (before online shopping).
You can get the strawberry ones from dollar stores like Dollar Tree.
Whoa.. who's out here giving old folk Werther's Originals?
Werthers original are I n f i n i t e
I used to get called old for eating Werther's when I was 18-20. They taste sooo good.
You have been granted eternal life
They get them from the underground bingo ring, the werthers wrappers are the ticket inside
I was my Grandma's All Fun No Responsibility granddaughter till I lived with her for a semester for one of my placements and she found out that under the good grades, great career, nice kid presentation, there was a slutty pothead alcoholic bisexual opinionated feminist and all of a sudden having grandkids wasn't so fun
it's so they don't feel they have waisted thier lives. and the family continues.
Well I was raised mostly by my grandparents. They are very special to me
Likely unpopular opinion here.
First grandchild last year. While i dearly loved and enjoyed my own kids and raising them through good and bad, i never got the obsession with grandchildren and after having one, that hasn't changed. Nice? Sure. Supercrazyincrediblyawesome? Nah.
I think many perceive them as a ticket to immortality, as in ok, now at least my genes are (reasonably) sure to survive after i am dead.
This is also why I am only an aunt...although I didn't have to "encourage" my sisters to have kids. They did it against my advice!
Exactly. Although you gotta make good kids first. Raise good kids, spoil the grandkids. Don't raise good kids, raise the grandkids.
Maybe in USA but in India they take care of the grandchildren better than the parents.8
Maybe they're thinking they went to all the trouble of raising kids and what was the point if their kids don't have kids, and hurry up cos they don't want to die not knowing if it will happen.
I heard a good quote a while a go.
"If you spoil your children you'll have to raise your grandchildren but if you raise your children you'll be able to spoil your grandchildren."
That's some great insight
"If you have ugly children, start breeding animals". Sorry, I needed to add that little clause.
But then they'll breed ugly animals and we'll end up with another version of the pug
But then you will have to raise your great grandchildren
Sounds like someone has got lazy parents. Most grandparents I know are really helpfull - except the crazy ones.
Or maybe it's the core need to propagate the species.
Please. That isn't even remotely a concern
I know several who are obsessed with continuing the daily lineage or making sure the last name continues. Shoot, look at how China overwhelmingly handled its one child policy.
Actually you just want to fulfill your evolutionary duty
Same reason I want
My Mom used to say her grandkids always looked so cute driving away back home.
SNL did a hilarious sketch recently on this (Home Goods ad)