Are grandparents getting younger

[Tiggeroo]

or am I just getting older. I am 43. Since we have friends who are younger and older some of our group are now grandparents while others are just beginning their families (including some my age). When I was growing up grandparents were always elderly. They were usually retired. Their hair was gray, they hobbled sometimes, etc. I don't think they were older in years then todays grandparents but they were older.
Today the grandparents I know run races, ski, travel the world, work, hike, surf, go to rock concerts, etc. They are not my mother's grandparents for sure. Is it that we are in better shape or do I just see things differently in my 40's then my teens?

 

[DISUNC]

Is it that we are in better shape or do I just see things differently in my 40's then my teens?

Remember Archie & Edith from All in the Family. I was watching a rerun last week, and they mentioned that he was 46 & she was 44!!!!! In the 70's THATS what mid 40's looked like.

 

[Tiggeroo]

Remember Archie & Edith from All in the Family. I was watching a rerun last week, and they mentioned that he was 46 & she was 44!!!!! In the 70's THATS what mid 40's looked like.

Oh no. That's what I'm talking about.

 

[FergieTCat]

I'm older than Archie Bunker???

I remember the day when I figured out I was older than Mary Richards and Rhoda Morgenstern (and believe me, it wasn't one of my better days). Now I find out I'm older than Archie Bunker, too???

Somedays it just ain't worth getting out of bed!

 

[VirtuallyMe]

I do think that overall grandparents are getting younger- not necessarily chronologically- but yes younger- in that what was old when I was a child isn't so old anylonger.

My parents have adult grandchildren- so a potential to be great grandparents- and although they will admit that they are "getting old" in their mid to late 60's they'd be offended if you said they were "old"

They remain active, fit, and my dad is still working with no immediate plans at retirement.

In the same vein- I work in a geriatric psychiatric hospital- and our patients are 55 and older- I know quite a few have been offended by the geriatric term applied to someone only 55 years old. But some really fit- and some of our 70-80 year olds don't fit the mileau.

I recall thinking my grandparents on my dad's side were "old" when I was a kid- and when I sit back and calculate the ages they were when I was thinking them old- my grandmother was in her early 50's when we I was born (my dad is the youngest kid in his family).

If you ask people today if 50 is old- chances are most people over 25 will tell you- that it isn't old at all.

My rule of thumb is you have to be 20 years older than the oldest person in the room before you can call yourself old... which means you never get there.

I do think the mind-set has changed- somewhat- at 40years- I have a 20 yo son- so very capable of being a grandmother at any time now- and I am not and would not be the grandmother type like I had when I was a girl- I still have quite a few years of work- and also have a 16 yo, 10yo, and 4yo at home lol...

I do have a good friend who became a grandmother at 43- and I still have problem picturing her as one and its been a few years now...

 

[AuntieM03]

My grandma was 39 when my brother was born. My mom had him at 24, but my grandma had my mom at 15 (and that was in 1941).

 

[Brianne]

What's the saying now? 70 is the new 50?

I do think attitudes about age are changing though.

 

[moredisneyplease]

I disagree (in my little world) because I'm 31 and some of my friends are just now starting their families, making their parents grandparents well in to their 50s and 60s.

I know a lot of people are waiting until later in life to have children therefore it makes the grandparents even older. Just my thought

 

[BelleBoo&AmisMum]

My mom is 54 and my oldest is almost 12 and my youngest 4, MY grandmother is 77.

 

[amyhughes]

I was born when my Grandparent's were 45. They were 68 when my eldest was born. They are only 10 or 11 years older than my DH's Dad. They have always been spry and outgoing. They took me to Disney 10 times when I was younger, and now they get my kids every Tuesday evening just to spend some (spoiling) quality time with them.

I think it's more about changes in attitudes towards age.

 

[Becky2005]

Or they just use cosmetics. My mom colors her hair or else I think she would be completely grey. I think she's in better shape than I am.

I think it all depends on birth order too -- I had the hardest time wrapping my mind around the concept that my Grandma on my mom's side was only about 5 years older than my *AUNT* on my dad's side. Of course, that is when I calculated that my paternal grandma had her first at 16 years old (probably not uncommon back then as she was probably married!).

My mom is the 2nd oldest in a family of 4. My dad is the next to youngest in a family of 6. I was the youngest grandchild on both sides of the family, so I have cousins who are on the same generation level as me but they are grandparents now & have been for several years. I still have a preschooler.

As it stands right now I have 2 nephews who are gosh 24-25 now & a niece who is in her 20's.....then I also have an 11 year old niece & 9 year old nephew.

There is my kids who have a 10 year age span -- the kids like to freak me out with that my oldest will be 28 by the time the youngest is 18 & graduating from HS. I could *easily* be a grandma way before then.

 

[luvflorida]

My husband and I became grandparents for the first time three weeks ago. We are in our mid/early fifties. I'm still finding it strange to be called a grandma. I don't feel like a grandma, if that makes sense. Our kids are 27, 24, and 18.

I'm used to MY mother being a grandmother, not me. I don't feel old. I don't have gray hair (well, I do, but you wouldn't know it ), I swim, snorkel, ride a 10-speed bike, and my husband golfs. We travel a lot.

The only time I feel like a grandma is when I'm around our new little grandson. We took him shopping the other day, and I loved carrying him around and letting everyone within earshot know that I was his grandma.

Next month, my youngest daughter and I will be attending The Who concert in Los Angeles. Do you think I'll be the only grandma there? Nah...

 

[luvflorida]

There is my kids who have a 10 year age span -- the kids like to freak me out with that my oldest will be 28 by the time the youngest is 18 & graduating from HS. I could *easily* be a grandma way before then.

Same here- my oldest is almost 28 and my youngest just turned 18.

 

[Briarmom]

My Grandmother was 39 when I was born, my mother was 41 when my first child was born. My Grandma is now 70 and my mother 50.
My kids have tons of Great-Grandparents and one Great Great Grandmother (who is OLD).

 

[4greatboys]

or am I just getting older. I am 43. Since we have friends who are younger and older some of our group are now grandparents while others are just beginning their families (including some my age). When I was growing up grandparents were always elderly. They were usually retired. Their hair was gray, they hobbled sometimes, etc. I don't think they were older in years then todays grandparents but they were older.
Today the grandparents I know run races, ski, travel the world, work, hike, surf, go to rock concerts, etc. They are not my mother's grandparents for sure. Is it that we are in better shape or do I just see things differently in my 40's then my teens?

I'm 43 and I could be a grandparent within a few years. My oldest is 21. And I will also be one of the old grandparents since my youngest son is 6.

 

[Chicago526]

My father is just a year or two younger than my grandfather was when he died. My father is definatly "younger" than Grandpa was at the same age. Two years ago we were at DL and dad, DH and I all rode the new Space Mountain. Several times! Grandpa never would have done that, not in a million years.

I think on top of living longer in general, people are also "living younger". My parents, before my mother died last year, were busier than they were when they worked! They had a more active social calendar than DH and I did!!! Even now that Mom is gone, Dad is still staying active and going out (which makes me very happy, I was affraid he was going to hide out at home).

 

[LisaNJ25]

I think so.. my dad was a grandpa in his 30's and my mom was 42 when she became a grandma (I have older sister from my dad which made him become one younger). I am 34 and could become one in a few years.. although I would kill my son.

Even now looking at my mom in her 50's she is much younger and appearance and activities than my grandmothers were .

 

[Amlee]

My grandmother is 79 years old. She has grandkids that range in age from 43 to 18. All of my grandparents and great-grandparents seemed young to me now. Now if you had asked me then, I would have said told you they helped build the ark.

With my family you can't tell where one generation ends and another begins. Both of my grandparents were the oldest sibling, both of my great grandmothers had kids after my grandparents started having kids. My mother has first cousins younger than me.

 

[Master Mason]

My boys are 24 and 16, the oldest is getting married next year, so I could easily be a grandparent by my mid 40's. My brother on the otherhand has one child that is 2, so he will be 68 when she graduates from High School. He will be a very old grandpa if he makes it there.... It all depends on when you have your kids.

 

[Amlee]

My boys are 24 and 16, the oldest is getting married next year, so I could easily be a grandparent by my mid 40's. My brother on the otherhand has one child that is 2, so he will be 68 when she graduates from High School. He will be a very old grandpa if he makes it there.... It all depends on when you have your kids.

The factors are, when you start and when you stop.

One of my great great grandfather didn't stop having kids until he was almost 80 years old. His oldest child was 52 years older than his youngest.

Another set of great grandparents had 3 kids with my grandfather being the oldest. He was 13 years older than his brother and 25 years older than his sister. He had 2 kids older than his sister.