Choosing what to be called as a grandparent

nearlyrich

We only had Grandma and Grandad in our family, I only had one Grandma after I was 2 so itwasn't confusing but they were referred to as Grandma C and Grandma R etc if talking about them. My children have only one Grandma left now but had 2 and a grandad when they were small, also inherited DH's parents when we got together, they call my DH by his name but his M & D were grandma and grandad. My DH has three grandchildren they call him grandad and me by my first name.

Newly_retired

A friend of mine is called Nanny Monday, as she looks after her GD on a Monday.
I am Granny and I don't mind a bit. I am not young and not too old either in my opinion. GD has also got Grandma, but our husbands are both Grandad.
Then there are Nan and Pop and Gran-Gran ( great grandma) and Papa.
I don't think it matters in the slightest. Chidlren will make their own versions, whatever you may decide.
My DG paid me a huge compliment the other day, at least I thought so. She asked "Why can't you look after me every day when Mummy is at work, Granny?" I say compliment but if it were a realistic possibility I would not be so keen!!

alison99_2

I'm Nana and my husband is Grumps. My granddaughter's other gran is Nan and her great-gran is Mamgu.

FairyElephant_2

turtlemoose wrote: »

i had a big nanny and a little nanny when i was younger.... one was tall the other was not so tall!

Me too! Only mine was because one was skinny and the other one quite fat! (never told them why though...).

'Little Nanny' was the one I was closest to, and became abbreviated to Nan when I spoke to her, but the other one (dad's mum) was more stand-offish and was never abbreviated!

DH's family all try to call one side Nanny and the other Granny, but it doesn't always work out.
My mum wants to be Nanny, but DH already has kids and they call his mum Nanny, so not sure what we'll end up doing (if we ever get to the happy state of providing a grandchild....)

MadDogWoman_2

Growing up I had a:

Nana - dad's mum
2 x grandads

If my mum's mum had still been alive she would have been grandma.

DD has:
Grandma and Grandad (pronounced ganma and gandad as she's only just 2)

My mum became a grandma in her 40's and it was her choice to be grandma - the older grandchildren haven't bothered to shorten it to gran either.

If DH's parent were still alive they would have been grandma and grandad as well.

MDW

ginandtonic1988

Im 37 years old and call my grandmother "mum-mum" try gettng a birthday card with that on!! Also takes a bit of explaining to friends when they hear me refer to her.

smithyjules

hi there,

we have...

Nanny polo and grandad polo (grandad always gives out polos to the kids) and nanny drives a polo so it sort of stuck!
Great-Nanny frogs (she collects frog ornaments etc)
Nanny mim (lo can't say kim!)
Great-Nanna (her choice)
Nanny Linda (OH's step mum)
Great-Nanny liddy (her budgie)
Grandad Bill ( my Dad and i love his name it just has a special ring to it!)

All these names might seem like a lot but when you are lucky enough to have so many grandparents it's important to differentiate! Mine were all called Nanny and that got very confusing!

dmg24

elastigirl wrote: »

I can't believe we haven't had a mamma yet pronouced mom-ma. My husbands grandparents are irish and they liked to be called mamma and grandad. Spelling it mama for one grandmother and mamma for the other. It has just stuck now with our ds and he calls my mother and dh's mother mamma and our grandparents great mamma.

My nephew calls my mother in law granny which i hate it sounds so old, she doesn't seem to mind so she is a mamma and a granny.

My Mamma was a Mamma!

She chose it because she said she was too young to be a Grandma (she was around fifty when her first grandchild of thirty was born!). It suited her, something warm and cuddly about it.

On my mum's side, her mum was Gran. It suited her too because, as much as I loved her, she always seemed older?

ethelsmum

My kids call my Mum "Mamma" and my dad is "grandad" In laws are "nana and grandad" as are my grandparents (children's great grandparents).

Spendless

morg_monster wrote: »

it is interesting the class thing; one point that hasn't been brought up is that REALLY posh people; or people who perhaps grew up abroad in certain countries where servants are more prevalent; won't call grandmothers Nanny because they were possibly brought up being cared for by a Nanny.

I know thats why my friend's mum refused to be Nanny when my friend had her daughter; she was brought up in Kenya and was looked after by "Nanny" more than her mum.

As for me... Grandma, and Grandpa. And, Grandma and Grandpa... appended with their surnames when not in their company so we knew which one we were referring to. I know my mum is already thinking what she'll be although there'll be no grandkids on the way for her for a few years! She likes Nana, but doesn't like Nan, and I can't help but think that once her GC's are past a certain age they'll abbreviate it to Nan... (like mummy / mum).

I'm surprised at how many people have said Nanny rather than Nanna. But I am basing this on card manufacturers because (IME)it is rare to find a card that says Nanny, you can get ones that say Nan and Nanna.

Interestingly I've never found this debate with grandfathers, everyone I've ever known has been grandad.