 Why do they do it?
Granny has invariably been the first port of call when help is needed to look after the youngest in the family and in the past she would probably have lived nearby which made it a viable arrangement for all. But now it seems, as extended families live further apart, some grandmothers are commuting on a weekly basis across the country in order to care for their grandchildren and in doing so, effectively standing in as live in nanny. It seems for more and more parents, the ‘long distance granny nanny’, represents an ideal solution to the high cost of professional childcare. But is too much today being asked of grandma’s role? Sheila is joined by grandmother and comedy writer Jan Etherington, and working mother, Kate Dixon, to hear their views.
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