Leaving the grandkids

[beady]

Any words of wisdom on leaving grandkids and moving to TV full time. Sure would appreciate any insight.

[coljudge]

I have the same concerns. We plan to be full-timers in a couple of years. But with two grandchildren in California and two here on Long Island, we won't be close to all of them no matter what we do. When we move to TV full time they will just have to come and visit us. Although we do plan to travel frequently once we're not working and have the time to do that. I warned my daughter-in-law that we might just camp in their finished basement during the summer. I wasn't serious, I wouldn't to that to her.

[SteveFromNY]

The only way my wife would consider moving to TV was if we also kept a place up north near the grand daughters (2 of them). So we are selling the "big" house where we lived for 24 yrs and buying a small apartment style condo here as a place to go when we need to see them. I suspect in a few years when they're older and grandma and grandpa are just 2 fleeting "Hi's!" as they speed by on there way somewhere we'll make the choice to full-time in TV. We'll see.

[Frank2]

Whenever you feel the need for your grands...just send them airline tickets for the next holiday or when they have time off. Also, it's a good place to visit during the summer months.

I understand it's not the same as visiting every weekend but it does work, and you can retire here with the rest of us lucky people.

[Villages Kahuna]

Here's the thought process we went thru...


Once they find out you live only about an hour from Disneyworld and the other Orlando theme parks, they forget all about all those visits to Grandma's house up north.[br]
The plane fares from Orlando to northern cities are really cheap. We're flying north for one reason or another four times in the next six months. And on two occasions, we simply sent plane tickets for them to visit us. It's a lot cheaper than owning a second house. [br]
As the grandkids grow toward their teen-age years, they get so busy with activities and sports that they have less and less time for grandparents. A week-long visit from them in TV or a vacation with them at another location is far better "quality time" than simply living close.

[Avista]

We have 5 grandchildren, and we are close to them. True, we don't live near them, but love to have them visit. Usually they come one at a time, so we can give them a lot of individual attention. Another thing we have done with our teen grandchildren is travel in Europe. We have taken them on tours through Europe, weeks in London, and just last March took our 16 year old granddaughter to Ireland for 2 weeks. We stayed with family part of the time, and she was able to meet her Irish family members. Then we took her to Surry England and introduced her to more family. In other words, lots of ways to be close to your grandchildren without living right on top of them.

[villager99]

grandkids and old friends were my reasons for snowbirding between maine and tv my first 5 years but eventually i came to see the wisdom in moving to tv fulltime and visiting maine a few times a year or having kids and friends visit me here.
everone loves a florida beach vacation and i love whale watching and hanging out at the lakes in maine. so it works out well
.tv is my present and future and family get togethers are special regardless of which state they take place in.

[samhass]

Kahuna, you said it best. Move to TV and the kids and grands will visit often!

[beady]

:) :)
Thank you all for your comments. I know that moving to TV is the right thing for us to do. I am very excited about becoming a full time home owner. Leaving the grands is the only stumbling block in a very happy plan for the very near future.

I have friends who are already reserving time to visit , so I will assume the kids and grands will follow suit. It's just an adjustment I am going to have to make.

[nONIE]

Osh,

You can do it! Really you can.

Just kidding, I know this is a very personal decision and only you can make it. it certainly is an emotional tug of war, I agree.

[beady]

Osh,

As I said in an earlier post (pre-moving) it was a real stumbling block to leave the kiddo's.
Well, we are here now and I am loving this lifestyle.
One thing that makes it a lot easier is setting up a web-cam on your computer. I see and talk to the grand boys and girls every Sunday morning. It is such fun for all of us and so simple to do. 040 040
Look forward to meeting you soon. :bigthumbsup:

[lm01]

We left and told the grandkids that they are coming down in 2 weeks. We left and they did come down to help set things up, like thier guest bedrooms. Everything worked out fine.

[Indy-Guy]

Grand kids are great to be around and we all miss them. In fact there were times when we lived near them that we wished we could spend more time with them they are so busy with their own lives as they should be.

What I don't miss about the grand kids are those colds that they would give us. We have been here a year and they have visited many times and we didn't have to share them with anyone. Two of them were here for 10 days over Christmas when they arrived one of them had a cold and I got my first cold in over a year.

Yes we miss the grand kids but not the colds that they give us. Does anyone else find that they have less colds?

[villages07]

indy guy... a little off the main topic, but, to reply to your question....in about 15 mos here full time, neither one of us has caught a cold....compared with 1 or 2 colds each as a rule 'back north'. I have heard similar anecdotes from other recent Villages transplants.

Lack of kids and their germs is no doubt one factor along with the temperate climate and just overall happier and stress-less lifestyle.

[jerseygirl008]

Kahuna and Avista: Great advice and thought process. It's exactly how I have thought it through. I'm not there yet,so. . . these dialogues are very helpful to those of us planning to move to TV. Thanks so much.

[nanci2539]

I too have a grandchildren (7, 6, and 18months) who live within a mile of me. I've struggled with leaving them for quite some time now. Our home is up for sale and as soon as it sells, we're moving to TV.

On a recent visit to TV; I talked to another grandma who left her grandkids and she told me that every Sat., she has a 10Am date to play checkers with her grandson via her PC and video cam attachment.

She also said that they love to visit and although she misses the daily/weekly interaction, she said she didn't stop being grandma or Mom because she moved.

So, leaving her on a positive note, I felt better and it's comforting to read that I'm not alone in my feelings! A video cam is the way to go to stay in touch!

[kregski]

My wife put a picture on our fridge with the caption,,NUMBER ONE REASON TO STAY IN INDIANA. Ive got it posted in here somewhere.I feel for you all,what an emotional roller coaster..

[nONIE]

Kreg,

yes as Ive said before, it is an emotional tug of war. At least you have gotten your orders and they are on the fridge to remind you every day that you are staying in Indiana.

The thing is, if you come to TV a few times and drink the kool-aide, you are a gonner. It sucks you in like a sponge. You'll see!!

[kregski]

Where do I find the kool aid? Maybe I can trick Mrs. Kregski into drinking some.

[nONIE]

Kreg,

Get her to come to TV and stay awhile!!!! Ill make her a nice tall glass of Kool;Aide! LOL evil6

[bsliny]

Were snowbirds right now and i want to move to TV full time my wife doesn'T
she says she'll miss the grand kids and her sister


I'M GOING TO MISS HER :hot: :beer2: :hot: :beer3: :beer3: :2excited:

[nONIE]

Bsliny,

Very funny, but theres got to be a better way to handle this!!!! :dontknow:

[bsliny]

NONIE Is that really you in the picture you look to young to be living in TV

[Hancle704]

Because our grandchildren are scattered around the country we found a great way to spend time with them was to book a cruise and include all of them and their parents. That way we had full week with them, did not have to fly/drive to multiple destinations, did not have to wait on them and cleanup afterwards and the big benefit with cruise on Carnival was their Camp Carnival. 24 baby sitting available and fun activities for all the kids.

We will do that again, God willing.

[nONIE]

BSLiny,

Yes it is me, and thats how young I feel when Im in TV.
why do you think this place is so popular? Just tell your wife she can look that young too if she moves to TV. That just might solve your dilemma!

[samhass]

My 7 yo granddaughter is flying in Friday night. I can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!! She has to return to Pa on Tuesday, but for 3 days she's all mine! We'll swim, shop, and go to the squares .
She loves it here. Next month I'll fly to Pa for a week to see her.

[samhass]

Osh, I do spoil her. She is such a nice child that I can't help myself. To repeat myself in an earlier post, we've insisted that she be mannerly and considerate of others at all times. It seems to come naturally to her and we are so proud of her. She is a sheer joy. Wow...do I ever sound like a besotted Grandmother.

[samhass]

I'm Grammy or Grammy-grams as the mood suits her. Osh, you will not believe how the grands take over your heart. It's just this amazing love.