Yes and not a Nanny of the childcare kind…a real life Grandma in my late thirties!
When someone says Nan or Grandma the immediate image that is conjured up in my mind is a grey hair lady with fluffy slippers on and a set of knitting needles in hand.
Of course I know that this is far from the truth these days and probably a small minority fit this stereotype, but I for one didn’t feel ready to become part of this category.
When my eldest came for dinner with her partner a few months ago my heart told me that the news of the pregnancy was coming.
Those glances to each other, egging one another to break the news was apparent before they had even muttered a word.
The mixture of worry of my reaction and the excitement of their impending arrival was written all over their faces and although for a good few hours before they broke the news I knew what was coming.
Although Alice is only 19, having her own family has been on her mind for a while now even if she had never admitted it to me.
She has proved me wrong over the past few years by going it alone and creating a life with her partner that I thought would fall at the first hurdle but they have worked hard and created a home together and for them this was the obvious next step.
I was a young Mum myself and know only to well the troubles, isolation and unimaginable life change a new baby can bring.
That said youth does give you that carefree optimism and fresh outlook at everything that is sadly taken away with age.
So many things have been wirling through my mind for the past few months and having my daughter’s baby shower at the weekend made everything that little bit more real.
All those worries are still in my head about how she will cope and what is she going to miss out on by having a baby so young; but selfishly I wondered where it left me.
With my youngest bearly out of nappies and my life still revoving around mums and toddler groups and school runs I didn’t feel ready to move onto that next phase in my life.
I am quite content with being a mum of young children and had hoped that as mine grew and that empty nest feeling began to set in I would then be able to sit back and enjoy my grandchildren, not whist I’m very much in the preschool phase of my life.
All this said I know this is the right thing for her and once my first grandchild is born I will not look back and will be there to love and support them every step of the way.
I am however still trying to find a slightly cooler name than Nan as this is still not sitting well with me!
Congratulations! I was a young mum too and I worry everyday about my teen daughter coming and telling me she’s pregnant. My 17 year old niece has just had a baby and it does seem to have put her off though lol. Sounds like your daughter is doing great though and clearly knows what she wants. I hope all is well with the pregnancy, labour and baby x
Thank you so much! In my heart I’ve seen this coming for a while now.
A lot of her friends have already had babies and as you said it never put her off! Xxx
Ahh! Congratulations to you all. My mum is a young grandparent. She’s called Nanny (in her 40s and loves it!) and it doesn’t sound old when my little boy shouts it x
That’s so lovely to hear and thank you very much xx
She will be a natural mum. Look at her with the children now? She is a natural and her daughter is going to have a fantastic mum. I became a Nan last year and dote on my granddaughter and what a fantastic loving mummy she has. Being a grand parent is such an amazing feeling. How we have nurtured them they will follow. Sit back and enjoy it and watch your daughter becoming a fantastic mum and you a fantastic nan xx
Thank you so much Gina for your lovely words.
She is a natural with the kids so I have every faith in her.
We need to have a Nanny catchup soon xx
Ahh congrats – although I understand your feelings. My mum is called ‘Nanny Lyn’…she’s in her 50’s, but she looks younger and Def isn’t a stereotypical granny so this felt like a younger more appropriate name for her x
I think this is the way to go! I’m certainly not ready for ‘grandma’ just yet! X
What a lovely blog Emma and I can understand everything you say.
I always say to Deni don’t make me a nan yet but it’s more being called nanny at 40 than the actual part of becoming a nan. I know other people who’ve become young nan’s and they say it’s the best thing ever. (Mainly because you get to spoil them and enjoy all the fun things and hand them back at night haha!)
Alice has always been very mature and she will be an amazing mum, especially having you as a great role model!
Good luck to Alice and embrace being a “nanny”, xx
Thank you so much Liz!
You are right that Alice has always been old before her time and this is why part of me has seen this coming for a long time.
It is certainly the name that is going to take the longest to get used too!! Xx
Oh such lovely news and despite her being so young I am sure that she will have a fantastic pair of hands on tap to help!
Thank you so much xx
Congratulations! You’re going to be the coolest nanny ever.
One of my very close friends became a nanny at a similar age to you and whilst she has found it hard at times, her youngest and her granddaughter have become like sisters. It’s lovely really and she has managed a good balance between nanny duties and being a mum herself.
Good luck and I wish your daughter well with the impending arrival. Exciting and scary times!!xx
Ha ha thank you so much!
Getting feedback from people that have seen this situation is really refreshing and I’m sure as you said my little ones and my grandchild will have a much closer bond xx
My first Grandaughter was born when I was 38. I had my son when I was 17. My feelings were mixed. Happy but I was too young to be a Nan! Then I thought about it. My Mum was 19 years older than me and her Mum 18 years older than her. My Mum was a Nan at 36 and her Mum at 37. It didn’t make them old before their time. I loved being a young Nan as soon as she was born. As more came along I was young enough to look after them and take them out . I am now 63 and my family has grown and grown. I am now Nanny Bern to 15 Grandchildren ranging from 4 months to 25. Another due in June. 2 Great Grandchildren and another due in June. I still look after them and play and go to the park. They keep me young. Embrace your gift and enjoy.
Thank you for your lovely words and you have really given me an insight into how wonderful it can be.
I’m sure she is going to be a wonderful job and as you said as I’m still young I will have all the energy to enjoy her more xx
Huge congratulations. That is lovely news. I wasn’t a young mum, but in a way I wish I had been. It has positives and negatives either way. What’s meant to be will be. Delighted for you all xx
I think your right. As mine have have spanned a lot of tests I have certainly had a different outlook with each of them them have been negative and positive.
We will just have to see what this little one brings xx
I didn’t even know your eldest was 19.
What I can say. She has had an amazing role model and that has probably given her the confidence to do everything she has.
She has seen how she was raised to be a well adjusted, beautiful, loved and cared for child and now she knows she has the bones to do it herself. With the love of her Mama.
Congrats. It’s awful as I have years to go but I can not wait to be a grandma. Xxx
Thank you so much for your lovely words Kara.
I hope that I have given her enough understanding that she will cope well and get off to a good start.
It’s all getting pretty exciting now x
Ah lovely Emma, what wonderful news. I was a mum at 18 (then 19) so I can relate to your daughter and know full well I could end up being a nana in my 30s too! I think that some people are just meant to be mums and that’s why it happens at a young age sometimes. We did alright didn’t we? So I’m sure your daughter will be absolutely fine and she’s so lucky to have you supporting her. Congratulations xxx
You are so right Amy, it didn’t set us up to fail and we have gone on to have happy and full lives, even if it was a bit rocky at times!
Alice was certainly one they had a family at the forefront of her mind from an early age so we are just embracing it all now xxx
Congratulations! My sister had her first at 18 and my mum was a young nanny too. Now my mum is about to become a great nanny pretty young as my niece is having a baby x
Thank you very much and congratulations to your family xx
As a teenage mum myself, I have often thought about this and wondered how I would feel. But of course, you can’t predict such feelings. They go their own way, as we did and will forge their own paths. You will all be wonderful x
Thank you so much! I honestly thought I had put her off starting early but as you said they will choose their own path xx