Grandmother shares heartbreak at not being able to hold grandson

It’s been a tough few months, as the coronavirus pandemic has separated many grandparents from their grandchildren. And the current social distancing measures are taking a particular toll on one grandmother from the UK.

Writing anonymously on UK-based online forum Mumsnet, the woman explained that her grandson was born a week before lockdown but since restrictions came into effect she hasn’t been able to hold him.

“So long story short,” she wrote. “Grandson was born [a] week before lockdown. We saw and held him in hospital and when he first came home. Now since lockdown, we only see him at a distance. It’s heartbreaking.”

The woman said her grandson is now four months old and his mother — the woman’s daughter — “wipes his hands when he inadvertently touches me”.

“It’s breaking my heart,” she wrote. “This is my only grandchild.”

The grandmother continued: “I’m expected to have him three days a week when she goes back to work in three months’ time, which I’m totally happy about. But I’m so concerned the poor little lad won’t even know us. I just want to cry.”

Many Mumsnet users were quick to comment on the post, reassuring the grandmother that her grandson will know her.

“He will know you, my dc [darling children] know and love my mother who is 4,000 miles away and has only seen them in person less than 15 times in eight years,” one commenter wrote. “They pinch my phone to chat to her on Skype several times a day and I find messages they write to her on messenger all the time saying how much they love her.”

Another added: “Your grandson will know you. DD [darling daughter] knows the sound of my mum’s voice from the weekly zoom calls. When we have met in person it’s obvious she recognises her voice.”

However, another user suggested: “How does your daughter propose he gets used to you as a caregiver if he’s spent no time with you, except from distance? I understand the need to be cautious but unless he’s got an underlying condition I would be looking to introduce you into the bubble. Is your daughter very anxious?”

Over the past few months as cases of coronavirus continue to rise, more and more over-60s are choosing to self-isolate. And while it’s a practical measure to keep them safe and healthy, it can be a challenging time for those that have strong family connections and are used to seeing their grandchildren regularly.