“About a week after my daughter moved near her in-laws, the other grandma sent me a video of my grandson playing in her flat,” says Donna. “I thought my heart would break; I wished that was me.”
Donna’s only daughter moved nearer to her mother-in-law in Glasgow when her baby was 18 months old. Donna, who lives in south London, had looked after her grandson two or three days a week for over a year, and although she had known for months that the move might be on the cards, it was still a bitter blow.
“I was absolutely dreading them going. I’ve always hated the idea that my daughter might live away from me. When she had the baby, we become much closer, and spending so much time looking after my grandson made saying goodbye incredibly difficult. I was absolutely devastated. I feel much more alone.”
Shorts
When a son or daughter moves near their in-laws, it can trigger sadness and jealousy amongst grandparents: fears of missing key milestones like first words and first steps, and the pervading sense that you will no longer be part of the fabric of their daily lives.
