Hello everyone, I just joined this site and wanted to introduce myself.
I have a 9 year old daughter and a 26 year old daughter! I am 47 and also the proud nanni of 2 boys aged 5 and 6 years that I spend a lot of time with. I'm an artist and I am also learning web design to try and increase my chances of getting back into the work field after caring for both my parents for 8 years until they passed away.
Thanx so much Manc-lass! Pleased to meet you too
Hello Ami
Welcome to One Space, hope you soon feel at home here, you have three young children in your life and what you are doing with the learning sounds really interesting. I am sorry to hear about your mum and dad, but it was good that you were able to care for them.
Big question: what do you think are the main differences between being a grandma and being a mum?
Hi Louise,
Many thanx... I already feel at home here! I have met some very like minded people!
Yes, caring for my parents was very hard, but also very rewarding and I would not change anything if time were to revert back.
You know, there isn't much difference between being a mummy and a nanni really... my eldest daughter has recently moved back home after her marriage broke up, so now we are one big family unit. It is strange that my little girl at 9 years old is the boys aunti, yet they are more like brothers and sister!
Ami xox
Hi Ami and welcome from me, awww it sounds lovely that you are all one big family, great for your daughter to have your support and vice versa I expect!
So you are now the Matriarch of your brood. What sort of things do you all do together, are you film lovers or board gamers?
Hi Anna,
Thank you for your warm welcome!
My eldest daughter and I have always been like big sis little sis, although sometimes I do have to 'be mum' when needed, but generally we are very close and share the same values etc.
Well we try to keep busy which can be anything from a walking in the countryside (something I adore) wellies on and lots of puddls to splash in, trees to swing from and hills to oll down! (Yes me too haha) I'm an artist so I encourage them to be as creative as they possibly can be, like we'll do rubbings when we go for walks and take some paints to do landscapes... the boys are not at school yet until the council decide to get their fingers out as they have moved from another city to my house, so they easily get bored... my eldest is in the kitchen mixing up a big dollop of flour and water dough for them right now! That will keep them occupied for a while 
We also have story telling sessions... (I hate the telly so will do anything to get them away from CBeebies!) this is where we choose a book, read it, and then they have to act it out, or I will start a story and then we take turns until it comes to a conclusion... sometimes we will type the story out and make a little book which we then illustrate, sometimes on the computer or sometimes with paints, crayons etc.
That all sounds great. I always use to turn the table upside down when the boys were little and we we would pretend it was a boat and all go off on an adventure.
Yes and empty boxes are also fun!
Hi Ami, me again. i`ll get the hang of this one day and put my posts in the right place .
Your story sounds so much like me and my mum. We have always been like big sis, little sis. She is 58 & i`m 42 but yes she puts her mum boots on when they`re needed. She is my inspiration and also came thro a difficult marriage to raise me and my siblings. She adored being a nana at 46 and her support is invaluable as i`m sure yours is for your eldest daughter. The younger children seem to have a wonderful time together and are very lucky to have you and your older daughter to love and nuture them. I wish i could resist the convenience of the TV. Mine know what programmes are on any chanel at any given time without looking at the programme listings, shameful eh 
.
Hope to chat again.
A xx
Hi Ami, your activities sound like great fun, I bet you all have a great time. So are all the children creative and happy to play along, or do you have one that would prefer the TV or games console over hanging out with the rest of the family?
I think we may have to add some of your ideas to our Things to do on a rainy day article!
Hi Anna,
Yes the little fellow (5 year old) really loves his DS and wii but we only allow him a certain time span on it otherwise he would litterally be glued to them all day.. he gets so into it that sometimes he ends up in tears (when he's loosing a game) I don't really like these computer games which I think almost hypnotise kids.
One thing I learned when the boys moved in is how different boys are to girls... boys love fighting, and play fights can sometimes turn into real fights... its not all jolly hockey sticks lol All 3 of them have their little squabbles, sulks and a few tears... but if they were all perfect little angels all the time I think I would be worried.
Thank you for the article, I shall take a peep now!
Hi Ami and welcome from me too
I know what you mean about the computor games i had to restrict the amount of time my son would spend glued to the machine as it started affecting how he spoke to others or he would get really frustrated at anyone who got in front of the screen. Hes only allowed an hour a day.
Your family situation sounds like fun, will have to try some of your activities. How long have you been waiting to get the children into a school?
Hi Sally,
Thanx for the lovely welcome Pleased to meet you!
They have been waiting for a school placement for 3 months now and have been messed around by the council loosing paperwork and fobbing us off. We have had to look out of the catchment area as all the schools here are full, apart from one which is just horrid and has a very bad reputation. We did get a letter this morning offering the youngest (5 year old) a place in the reception class at one of the schools of our choice, but they said there is no place for the older (6 year old) and all the other schools are full. We want them to be in the same school as they have always been together and are as close as twins, there is also the time in getting them to school on time each day to consider... so we are going to appeal and see if that will help. We asked if in the meantime they could have some home tution and they said that would not be possible, so between us we are trying our best to keep them mentally active and learning.
Some days are fun and some days are absolute bedlam haha
Hi Ami
Great to see you here
Hi sparklinglime... please to meet you
Hi Ami sorry to hear that it is taking such along time, i hope that the appeal works in your favour.
Have you considered logging a compliant as this is a lot of education time that the children are missing out on (no offensive on your efforts intended) just that i know how attendance and achievement driven local authorities are, i would imagine if you had intentionally not sent your children to school for this amount of time they would have something to say about it!!
Hi Sally, yes that was exactly what my daughter told them! It looks like we are going to have a bit of a fight on our hands. We are considering moving, not too far but into another catchment area which would also come under a different council. However then it would be much further to travel to my little girl to school every morning.
Anyway have a lovely weekend!
Ami xox
Ha i see, sounds like things could get slightly more interesting if you decide to move, i hope it all works out well in the end.
So what are you up to today?
Hi Ami, your household sounds like a busy humdrum of happy life .
I once read (not sure how true it is but I can buy into it) that youngsters that spend more than 3/4 hour on a computer game affects their brain like an ecstasy tab? They experience very extreme emotions. My daughter had a time limit when she was younger, but now she is 17, I don't get so much control! The rule I have at home is that she isn't allowed to play on any console/laptop or DS whilst I am around, she has to go to her room. I can't bear it if she has her head in a game whilst I am trying to talk to her!
Have you visited the ACE website regarding school appeals etc?
Hello Ami and welcome,
Lovely to meet you and look forward to hearing from you some more.
best wishes
A xx