Everyone insists children are bundles of joy. The same theory applies to grandchildren, apparently. I agree, in principle as long as you havent got a football team at home and some means to support the whole lot. My husband and I have one daughter. When she was 19, she floored us with the delightful announcement: she was expecting, and not one, but two babies. She then got married, so that was something.
It was like an avalanche hit. A young mum with twins, and her husband equally youthful, earning barely enough for the odd loaf of bread. So guess who had to pick up most of the tab? Yours truly and my dear husband. We both had to take on extra jobs just to keep up with the nappies and the ever-growing needs.
They stayed with us for a bit. Id stumble out of bed for two jobs, and then spend all night chasing the twins, so my daughter could get some actual sleep. Unsurprisingly, both my health and sanity began to wobble.
Three years rolled by. The kids were starting to look less like tiny tornadoes and more like actual humans, and our daughter called to say surprise she was pregnant again. I uttered the unspeakable: Maybe its best not to have this one? I mean, two are already a handful, and shoes arent free. But no, she dug her heels in and said she absolutely wanted this baby. And so, she had it, and the whole circus started again: more mouths, more cries, more expenses. Back to working round the clock for us. Even though our son-in-law was earning a bit more, youd need to be a wizard to keep five people clothed and fed.
Eventually, my husband suffered a stroke, and my own heart began to feel as though it were auditioning for EastEnders. It became glaringly obvious our bodies werent built for marathon childcare. I told my daughter it was time for them to stand on their own two feet.
And then, as if to test the limits of endurance, she dropped another bomb: she was pregnant with her fourth child.
Honestly, I was speechless. What were they thinking? Did they assume my husband and I would bankroll their growing brood indefinitely? We simply cant manage anymore. Ive no clue how to proceed, and Id rather not be branded the Worst Mum in England for drawing the line. But honestly, weve given all that we possibly can.
