Latest news with #grandparents
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
How I entertain my grandchildren on the cheap
For families with young children in their midst, July is a month of two halves: pre and post school break-up. The first half is an unholy mix of sports days, sun cream, final year shows, class day trips, school fairs, lost hats, battered school shoes temporarily mended with superglue, and half a dozen bottles for myriad raffles. Parents are battling with the associated demands of those events and requests alongside the usual day job. Then a 30-degree heatwave arrives where no one sleeps for five days and it really feels like it's some sort of ill-conceived cosmic joke. But it gets worse. Because attending school at least means they're not at home. Children at home require adult supervision, feeding and entertainment, which can't always be performed by a parent – the disconnect between the length of state school holidays (12 weeks) and annual leave (32 days) is well-documented. Enter the reasonably fit and half-willing grandparent. According to a recent survey commissioned by MyVoucherCodes, 53 per cent of grandparents are set to perform some sort of childcare this summer and a quarter of grandparents are worried about the cost – with an average price of food and fun rising from £15.80 per day last year to £21 in 2025. But that's not the half of it. For example, a ticket to Whipsnade Zoo costs £31.75 for a senior entry, with every child costing £23.65 thereafter. One-day tickets to Warwick Castle start at £26 per person and even a ramble around the National Trust's various properties will cost upwards of £20 for adults and £12 for children – precisely why buying a year's membership always seems irritatingly sensible at the gate. And that's before you factor in drinks, food, the dreaded gift shop and standard ice cream. However, money doesn't always need to enter the equation. Simple pleasures can still reign supreme. One Telegraph staffer, who himself remembers being taken as a boy to Heathrow to watch the planes land and take off ('A great day out'), recently recounted that, while he'd been at work, his father took his young son to watch the buses for two hours and he's 'never seen either of them happier.' 'My son's favourite thing to do is watch transport,' he explains. 'We are lucky to live in Finsbury Park, which has an extremely busy train station with a bus station on both sides. Given what a popular hobby watching trains is, there are surprisingly few good vantage points – a canny council could install a viewing area above a busy line – so I often find myself paying the same-station exit charge to do it. On a fine morning, we can go up to the platform and watch trains going past, waving at the drivers and hoping for either a wave or, ideally, a toot of the horn.' Low cost, wholesome and rather charming. But are there similar options out there for older children and those with different interests? As grandparents look into the summer holiday abyss and wonder how on earth they're expected to curate a memory-making experience in these coming weeks, we're asking readers to suggest activities for grandchildren that entertain, enthuse and crucially, don't empty the bank account. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Solve the daily Crossword
Telegraph
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
How I entertain my grandchildren on the cheap
For families with young children in their midst, July is a month of two halves: pre and post school break-up. The first half is an unholy mix of sports days, sun cream, final year shows, class day trips, school fairs, lost hats, battered school shoes temporarily mended with superglue, and half a dozen bottles for myriad raffles. Parents are battling with the associated demands of those events and requests alongside the usual day job. Then a 30-degree heatwave arrives where no one sleeps for five days and it really feels like it's some sort of ill-conceived cosmic joke. But it gets worse. Because attending school at least means they're not at home. Children at home require adult supervision, feeding and entertainment, which can't always be performed by a parent – the disconnect between the length of state school holidays (12 weeks) and annual leave (32 days) is well-documented. Enter the reasonably fit and half-willing grandparent. According to a recent survey commissioned by MyVoucherCodes, 53 per cent of grandparents are set to perform some sort of childcare this summer and a quarter of grandparents are worried about the cost – with an average price of food and fun rising from £15.80 per day last year to £21 in 2025. But that's not the half of it. For example, a ticket to Whipsnade Zoo costs £31.75 for a senior entry, with every child costing £23.65 thereafter. One-day tickets to Warwick Castle start at £26 per person and even a ramble around the National Trust's various properties will cost upwards of £20 for adults and £12 for children – precisely why buying a year's membership always seems irritatingly sensible at the gate. And that's before you factor in drinks, food, the dreaded gift shop and standard ice cream. However, money doesn't always need to enter the equation. Simple pleasures can still reign supreme. One Telegraph staffer, who himself remembers being taken as a boy to Heathrow to watch the planes land and take off ('A great day out'), recently recounted that, while he'd been at work, his father took his young son to watch the buses for two hours and he's 'never seen either of them happier.' 'My son's favourite thing to do is watch transport,' he explains. 'We are lucky to live in Finsbury Park, which has an extremely busy train station with a bus station on both sides. Given what a popular hobby watching trains is, there are surprisingly few good vantage points – a canny council could install a viewing area above a busy line – so I often find myself paying the same-station exit charge to do it. On a fine morning, we can go up to the platform and watch trains going past, waving at the drivers and hoping for either a wave or, ideally, a toot of the horn.' Low cost, wholesome and rather charming. But are there similar options out there for older children and those with different interests? As grandparents look into the summer holiday abyss and wonder how on earth they're expected to curate a memory-making experience in these coming weeks, we're asking readers to suggest activities for grandchildren that entertain, enthuse and crucially, don't empty the bank account.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
My family of 4 moved from a big city to a quiet mountain town. We love it here, but wish we lived closer to my kids' grandparents.
In 2017, my family moved to a small mountain town. It was a big change, and we love living there. However, relocating meant moving hours away from our kids' grandparents. We've had to get creative to stay connected. Almost eight years ago, in the fall of 2017, my wife and I packed up our lives and moved to Nelson, British Columbia. You've likely never heard of this hidden gem. It's a quirky, secluded mountain town nestled deep in the West Kootenays in central British Columbia. After years of living in big cities, we were craving something different. We wanted our kids (at the time, we had a 2-year-old and a newborn) to grow up with space to roam, clean air to breathe, and a strong sense of community. We dreamed of a slower pace, afternoon bike rides to the lake, and winters spent skiing instead of commuting. And in many ways, that dream came true. But what we didn't fully grasp was what we'd be giving up, which was the consistent presence of grandparents and the reliable network of support that only close family can provide. We underestimated the emotional weight of raising kids without our parents nearby and how much they would miss being part of our children's daily lives. The lifestyle trade-off felt worth it at first Moving to Nelson from a major city was a major lifestyle upgrade. The lake views are stunning, there are hiking trails minutes from our front door, and we have a tight-knit, creative community that rallies around its kids. Our children have the kind of freedom I was fortunate enough to have as a suburban kid, such as riding bikes to school, building forts in the woods, and learning to ski on weekends. Not to mention, we're more active, more present, and more connected to nature than we ever were in the city. We've cultivated a sense of spaciousness and calmness in our days that's hard to describe until you've lived it. However, the decision to move here wasn't made lightly. We considered the lengthy drive to see family, the lack of direct flights, and the fact that winter travel in the mountains can be perilous at the best of times. But we told ourselves we'd visit often. We assumed the bond between our kids and their grandparents would remain strong, even with the miles between us. The absence of family ran deeper than we expected Long-distance grandparenting is hard for everyone involved, including my partner and me. We miss the impromptu dinners, the free babysitting, the help when one of the kids is sick, and we both have pressing deadlines. But more than anything, we miss the presence of people who love our children as much as we do. That kind of love is irreplaceable. It's been especially hard to watch my parents age from a distance. With each visit, I feel the dull ache of time slipping by. I notice subtle changes, like slower movement and more forgetfulness. I think about all the ordinary moments our kids don't get to share with them: baking cookies, reading books, getting picked up from school "just because." My parents try. They video chat, they send cards in the mail, and they make the seven-hour drive a few times a year. But it's not the same as watching your grandkids grow up in real time. We've had to get creative to stay connected To help bridge the gap, we've established some rituals, like Saturday morning FaceTime calls, monthly mail swaps (our kids love sending their drawings), and using those digital photo frames that you can upload photos to from an app. Now that our kids are 8 and 10, we can meet our parents halfway between our homes and have them take the kids for a week or two without my partner and me being there. It's times like these that their bond truly flourishes. These rituals help. But some days, it doesn't feel like enough. I often wonder if we made the right decision moving far away. Did we choose adventure at the expense of closeness? Are we giving our kids a magical childhood, or robbing them of deeper relationships? Maybe the answer is both. What I do know is that we made this move out of love. We wanted to raise our kids in a place that reflects our values of community, nature, and togetherness. But I've learned that "togetherness" isn't just about where you live. It's about who you let in and how you find ways to show up for each other, no matter how far apart you live. Read the original article on Business Insider Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Millennial Parents Are Sharing The Things They Really, Really Wish Their Boomer Parents Understood
Millennials are the first generation of parents to have grown up in the digital era — and it shows. Today's parents have access to infinitely more information than their parents had, and they hold themselves to a different set of standards. Some boomers may mock today's touchy-feely gentle parenting, but these trends have grown out of insight into child development and the impact of childhood trauma. Many parents today believe that if you want to raise kind, respectful kids, you start by treating them with kindness and respect. A changed economic landscape means parents are also under more financial pressure. The cost of childcare continues to rise, with the average cost of a week of daycare going up 13% between 2022 and 2024. Families today are spending an average of 24% of their income on childcare — that's more than triple the 7% the Department of Health and Human Services considers affordable. This problem, along with parents working longer hours and spending more time caring for their children, makes it no surprise that parents' mental health is suffering. Back in August, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued an advisory on parental mental health, citing 'an intensifying culture of comparison' among the stressors weighing on parents, causing them to report significantly higher rates of stress than adults without children. Today's parents are certainly looking for support wherever they can find it, online or within their own families. Oftentimes, grandparents want to be helpful but may struggle with all the ways parenting has changed since they raised their children. We asked millennial parents to tell us what they wish their parents understood. Here's what they had to say. Times have changed. Related: 'The world is a different place from when we were raised, so parenting has to be different. The mental load is crazy, and usually both parents need to work, so the 'traditional' family life most of us grew in is obsolete (for the majority). The comments of 'when you were young,' no matter how well-meaning, add to the parental guilt of not being available for your child 100% of the time as a mother or not being able to provide financially by yourself as a father, and it really hurts.' — Lesley Cox 'Millennials are navigating a different world when it comes to financial instability, work-life balance and social media pressures. It genuinely is harder being a parent now, especially when it comes to costs compared to back in the day, even accounting for inflation. Childcare expenses are astronomical and add to stress. Millennials wish their parents understood that raising kids today comes with different economic, social and cultural challenges and that comparison to the 'way things were' can feel invalidating.' — Dr. Mona Amin We expect an equal partnership. Related: 'A lot of boomer people, they're so amazed at our partners and how much they participate in child rearing. They're like, 'Oh my gosh, they're just the best dad!' And I have a great husband, and he is a great dad, but it's like, yeah, because he does the same things I do. I'm a great mom, too. But there's so many kudos toward men, which I just think is funny. Their generation, she's like, 'Your dad didn't change a single darn diaper.' Well, I would not have let that fly. That's insane. I'm just calling her out on it: 'No, mom, this is called a partnership. He doesn't get a party because he's doing what is expected.'' — Taylor Wolfe Sometimes you need to expand the village. 'I've noticed that my parents understand the importance of being and providing a 'village' to help me with my children and family. I do wish though that they understood that all help doesn't always have to come from the family. Sometimes, to allow for everyone in the family to rest, hired help may be needed. It could be a nanny, babysitter or daycare. My parents feel that I shouldn't pay for the help if they're around. The issue is that, just like my husband and I, our parents need a break, and we respect that. If we have the means and access to outside help, it's a huge privilege and an added expense that's worth it. Responsibilities can be shared without guilt.' — Mya Morenzoni 'I wish my parents knew that we have to parent so much differently than they did back in the day. We have to parent with paid help, whether that's a nanny or au pair. The village is available, but at a cost.' — Natalie Robinson We speak openly about mental health. Related: 'Many millennials prioritize their own mental health and their children's emotional well-being, embracing therapy, mindfulness and open communication about mental health. They want their parents to recognize that mental health is not a taboo topic but an integral part of raising happy, resilient kids.' — Dr. Mona Amin More is expected of us. 'One of the biggest struggles seems to be getting my parents to understand that things that were 'good enough' or 'fine' for me or my siblings aren't good enough anymore. From food to schoolwork to sports/extracurriculars and even what they're watching ... there's just a lot more involvement. And the crazy thing is that it's also somewhat expected that millennial parents will be overly involved in their kids' lives.' — Christina Rincon We place a high value on experiences. Related: 'We're focused on creating life-long memories for and with our kids. Prioritizing vacations with and without kids is just as important as anything else in life.' — Natalie Robinson We respect our children and give them autonomy. 'One thing that I wish that our parents understood is that we treat our children with respect and we understand that they are humans who are allowed to express their emotions. I think the best way to teach children to be respectful people is to give them that respect. That means allowing them to express their emotions and also to apologize to our kids if there's a situation where I feel like maybe I handled it incorrectly. How can I get upset about my children not regulating their emotions if I can't always be expected to regulate mine? So my kids are allowed to have bad days. They're allowed to say, 'Mama, I don't agree.' They're allowed to choose who they want to hug and who they don't want to hug. Those are the tough conversations we have had with our parents because how they want to parent our kids is not the same. In the moment, I'm not going to disagree with my mom or my in-laws, but it is a conversation after the fact: 'Hey, you know how you responded in this moment? I'm not calling my child a crybaby. I'm not telling them to stop crying, to suck it up. We're using different language.'' — Jamilla Svansson-Brown Responses have been lightly edited for clarity and length. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. 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Washington Post
4 days ago
- General
- Washington Post
Asking Eric: Aging parents' anxiety causes a family rift
Dear Eric: My now-retired parents are terrific people. They're interesting, kind, hardworking and A++ grandparents. My wife and I marvel at how instinctive, capable and giving they are with our two young boys. That said, every year that goes by, their anxiety reaches new heights. It seems like a classic case of having very little to fill the void of what their careers once were. It makes it exhausting to spend more than a day or two at a time with them, as the ticks and ruminations start mounting and, eventually, corroding every interaction.
