Hello!

My daughter inlaw and son have just moved 9 hours away and taken my 2 grandaughters. I am having trouble coping as I used to babysit.


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  • I understand your grief, it is hard to adjust when the babysitting has finished & they start school. I have 2 grandkiddies at school now & it’s only a couple more years & they all will be. I do have 2 that live a distance away too but we have regular chats or video links on messenger.


  • I know ppl maybe have suggested it but have u thought about looking into fostering kids even for weekends. It’s not a replacement of ur grandkids in anyway but it gives u a purpose looking after the kids and your feeling lost I know there are many kids in need of/or on waiting lists to be fostered. And when ur grandkids visit they may become best buds as long as u don’t make grandkids feel replaced xx (ps I’m in opposite my parents left us- there are organisations as well that are like ur a sub grandparents thru places like communities@work


  • I can understand how you must be feeling. Fortunately these days we have Skype which helps a little.


  • I’m feeling your pain! My only grandchild lives interstate. Only and hour on the plane. But and hour to the airport then another hour after getting off the plane. And a quick plane trip is not like popping in the car and driving whenever you like. My grandson is not yet 2 and I feel so sad that I’m missing out on so many things. I think it’s made worse by the fact the other grandparents are only a stones throw and Sed him daily. It’s something I’ll never get used to


  • I bet your grandkids are struggling too, missing you! Skype is apparently great for seeing loved ones that are far away. Maybe you can write letters to them too, snail mail?


  • Can you have regular Skype dates with them? My mum moved 10 hours away and we regularly talk on the phone or Skype plus we mail her pictures and artwork the kids have done.


  • We are all by ourselves in a state that we have made home. Skype can be a useful tool for many so that they can actually speak to their relatives and interact with them. We miss our family dearly.


  • Hi mom241861,
    How about joining some clubs or volunteering throughout the day and at night Skype your family.
    It will take a while to adjust so stay busy and visit them as much as you can.
    Wishing you all the very best. x


  • My DIL parents only live two hours away and they say their suffer as their only grand child is too far away. My mother complains my children live too far away, she lives in FNQ and I live southern WA. We all use phones and write to each other. I know send her photos after she did not recognise one of my sons. She thought he was an important person and his response was yes he is, her 2nd grandchild.


  • Thank you for support ladies at this time I’m just struggling yet I know when I see them again it will be so special. Thank you xxxx. Bronwyn


  • Both our families live in Europe so nobody ever gets to see my daughter. It must be very sad for the grandparents, I agree. But try your best to participate in their life. And Skype as much as you can.


  • I don’t know how I’d cope if my grandchildren were so far away ! Lots of FaceTime and a few extra holidays to visit them I think !


  • I can understand your struggle with this.
    I’ve seen from nearby the pain this caused in my parents when we moved oversees, while my sister lives in Africa with her 2 children and 1 adopted child and another sister (who now died) moved to the UK with 2 children.
    The only thing I can advice is to stay in contact per skype, telephone and old fashioned letters and try to regularly plan visits.


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