01-01-2013, 04:21 PM
21
Re: Great Expectations
Originally Posted by Bluebell
->
Aerolor - yes, I am hoping to go out to New Zealand to visit her once she is settled. As I'm still working I will only be able to do that at most once a year, so deliberating when is the best time to do that. Of course I will send her with my blessing, and never let her know how sad I feel.
And I try to tell myself that I am actually very lucky, in that she is healthy and independant. I do appreciate that many parents would love to be in that position.
02-01-2013, 12:15 PM
22
Re: Great Expectations
I only have one son but I rarely see him. He only ever wanted to be a soldier and he gained a guaranteed place due to being in army cadets from the age of 10 (he lied about his age and said he was 12). He won many awards in cadets, including "cadet of the year" and went into the regular army when he was old enough. Unfortunately he got badly injured in NI, spent almost a year in hospital and left the army around 4 years later as he didn't want to be a "desk soldier". He now drives a big mobile studio all over europe bringing you all your Sky sports, which is why seeing much of him is so difficult these days, he's always away. He loves this job and is being trained as a camera man too. His first marriage ended in divorce, he has one son who he adores and has him as often as possible but although my one and only grandson is now 11 years old he hasn't been to visit us since he was 3 and never even says thank you for the presents and money we send for birthdays and Christmas, when pressured by my son, or his mother, who is a barrister, he might just put "thank you for my money" on facebook. To be honest I've given up bothering. My grandson is also a keen footballer and plays for Oxford junior league (at least I think that's what it's called). If he is still as good and as interested when he's 15 the football club will take over his education and training as a professional footballer, but a lot of water will flow under the bridge between now and then. As others have said, Skype and facebook are good for communication, although I am very very careful re facebook and mostly use the private message system there if needs be.
07-01-2013, 03:45 PM
24
Re: Great Expectations
I stopped sending my nephews birthday presents as I never got a thank you, or even an acknowledgement of presents/cards arriving. I was in two minds, as I blame my sister for not instilling those manners in them, so it's not really their fault. But as they live in New Zealand and I never see them I'm not really part of their lives now.
09-01-2013, 12:26 AM
25
Re: Great Expectations
Talking of nieces and nephews, i really regret not agreeing with my brother when we were all starting to have kids the age at which we would stop giving them presents. I have 4 nieces and nephews aged 22-30 and it feels like every year one or other brother reopens the discussion about presents - do we exchange gifts ourselves, do we give to the kids only? I feel like Scrooge, but I really can't see the point of trying to find suitable presents for these young adults that I barely know.|
|
