I’m always intrigued when I see adults (30s+) with able bodied grandparents - How is that possible?

[Anonymous]

The type of situation where grandma is still hosting Thanksgiving, cooking and all when you are fully grown.

Did your grandparents have to have your parents young to be able bodied and alive when you are in your 30s, 40s, and beyond?

[Anonymous]

Yep, 2 generations having kids at 20/21. I’m 45 with living able grandparents.

[Anonymous]

isn't just math? If grandma had a kid at 20, your mom at 25, then you can be 30 with a 75 year old grandma in good health.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:isn't just math? If grandma had a kid at 20, your mom at 25, then you can be 30 with a 75 year old grandma in good health.

+1. Health matters but age plays a huge part.

I’m 35 and my grandma is 95. She’s doing great and I love hanging out with her but she would definitely struggle hosting a big thanksgiving and doing all the cooking at her age

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:isn't just math? If grandma had a kid at 20, your mom at 25, then you can be 30 with a 75 year old grandma in good health.

Intriguing that math!

[Anonymous]

Yes op, and a 40 year old would be considered a grandpa. So when you read / hear stories about “healthy grandpas” and “active grandmas” from 100-200 years ago, keep in mind often the demographic is 35-55 year olds

[Anonymous]

I was 36 when my paternal grandmother passed at 94. Her oldest grandchild was 53. My maternal grandmother lived to age 92, when I was 38. Her oldest grandchild was 47. Both women were in good shape and active until their late eighties.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:isn't just math? If grandma had a kid at 20, your mom at 25, then you can be 30 with a 75 year old grandma in good health.

Lauren Boebert became a grandmother at 36, Sarah Palin at 45. I’d imagine this was even more common in generations past.

[Anonymous]

My great grandma had 16 kids (more than one set of twins in there). My grandma was no. 8. She died when I was 19 (she was 89) and was cooking and baking until the end.

My grandma had my mom -- her third kid -- at 28. My grandma was cooking and whatnot well into her 80s. She died a few months before turning 95.

My mom had me at 21 (married at 19). She died at 65. Stroke.

My mom's oldest sibling is 79 and still hosts and runs around volunteering. Her next oldest is 77 and hosts big parties, travels constantly (they are rich). My dad is 77 and is pretty well-kept and stays booked and busy too.

Some people just age better.

[Anonymous]

I’m 45 and my grandmother is 97. I’m the oldest grandchild. She just started slowing down the last couple of years but has always been active and independent. She’s a snowbird and still travels each winter. Plays cards with her friends and goes to church nearly every day. Hates that we all make a fuss over her. She loves a good family board game when we all get together. My kids are old enough to have actual memories of spending time with their great-grandmother. We are very fortunate.

[Anonymous]

I am 51 and my grandma is alive. She’s 102 and in great shape. But not hosting Thanksgiving!

[Anonymous]

I’m 44 and my grandma is 99. She no longer hosts holidays but she always has people over. She bakes. She lives alone with the only bathroom on her second floor. She babysits neighbor kids. She plays cards. She calls me regularly and has all our numbers memorized (no cell phone or internet for her). She has pets and just lost a dog, but prior to that she walked the dog regularly. Her memory is great. Longevity doesn’t otherwise run in my family so I don’t know how we’ve been so lucky to have her this long.

[Anonymous]

No, my grandparents had my dad late, and then my parents had me later in life as well, so grandparents were dead before I was even born. I'm in my 50s and my grandparents were born in the late 1800s.

On the other side of my family, they start having kids really early, like between 18-20. So you have a baby, 20 year old mother, 40 year old grandmother, and 60 year old great grandmother.

[Anonymous]

I think about this a lot. I’m 45 and my mom is 80. My dad would have been 90 if he was alive! My grandparents died in their late 90s in the early 2000s.

We are way off of what is normal and it makes for a different kind of childhood (I was the very youngest cousin and missed the energetic days of my extended family) and a sad adulthood (everyone is dead but my mom). In our case it was just bad luck and some big fertility gaps, but sometimes I feel a little wistful for people who grew up with different luck and generational gaps. I definitely do “grandparent math” in my head when I meet my DD’s friends’ families!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes op, and a 40 year old would be considered a grandpa. So when you read / hear stories about “healthy grandpas” and “active grandmas” from 100-200 years ago, keep in mind often the demographic is 35-55 year olds

My grandmother is 94 and still lives alone. Going back generations through the 1700’s her family was 100% French. The woman lived between 90 and 100 years old and had a lot of kids. The men lived until their 70s or 80s. My father’s Irish side does not fair so well.

It’s genetics, lifestyle, diet. They were farmers and were always active, always moving. There are great-grandparents in my family who help out with the younger children.