55 At I’m desperate granny... to be a and it’s driving my children MAD!
She browses for Babygros. Cries at the sight of happy toddlers. And told her daughter an accidental pregnancy wouldn’t be so bad . . .
been about my age when I was born, but I remember them as grey, stout, old women, in housecoats and support stockings, certainly not like the breed of glamorous grandmas you get today.
Boyzone star Ronan Keating and his first wife, the Irish model Yvonne Connolly, became grandparents earlier this year, aged 46 and 49 respectively, when their then 23-year-old son Jack had a little girl.
You won’t be seeing the gorgeous, youthful Yvonne in a tabard and rollers, complaining about her varicose veins, let me tell you.
But what do my children think of my desire for them to start reproducing? There has been quite a bit of eye-rolling on the subject, although I try to be subtle.
Embarrassingly, I must confess the veneer of subtlety came crashing down a couple of Christmases ago when, after a few Kir Royales and Snowballs, I told them it ‘wouldn’t be a disaster’ if there was an accidental pregnancy.
I was duly told to shut up and quite rightly so. It’s really not my business to dictate how they choose to live their lives — they might not even want children (although that is an unbearably y painful thought).
Nowadays, I try to keep my feelings to myself and allow myself a few whimsical moments staring at Babygros and sunhats in department stores. One day my little prince, or princess, will come . . .
FESTIVALS AND A HOUSE COME FIRST
loiS lAwrence is a 26-yearold project manager, and lives in london. She says:
IN ThE past year or so Mum’s definitely made me much more ‘aware’ she wants to be a grandmother. I wouldn’t say she’s got to the nagging stage — yet — but she thinks she’s more subtle in her hinting than she actually is.
I’ve heard the story of how she and Dad were living in rented accommodation, with no money and insecure jobs, when they had me, but I was the best thing that ever happened to them, etc . . . oh, about 100 times now.
Likewise, that anecdote about the teenager in the next hospital bed.
Fortunately, as she only brings it up once in a while, it doesn’t make me feel awkward. But
bec because I want to hit other mil milestones in my life, such as buy buying a house, before I consider sta starting a family, it does create ab bit of pressure to rush into tho those other stages so I can get to the point of thinking about hav having children.
My boyfriend and I are enjoying our lives right now, with a big group of friends, going to festivals and weekends away. I’m in no rush to bring these carefree years to a halt. Plus, I don’t even know if I can have children. Who does, 100 per cent, so what’s the point in talking about it, if it might not even happen anyway?
I know I would like them one day, if I can. I just hope the hints don’t get pushier and pushier the older I get.
She’s a great mum, though, so I know she’d be a naturally amazing grandmother — and I promise I am not saying this so I can have unlimited free babysitting when/if the time comes!