My son and his wife moved to Australia from Iowa right before the pandemic. Their son (our first grandson) was a toddler. We live in Oregon and were able to make several trips to see them before they moved so we had a close connection. We thought Iowa was far away but now they live half-way around the world and I'm devastated we can only see them once a year if we're lucky. During the pandemic our 2nd grandson was born and we saw him for the first time this spring. It was utterly amazing to be able to hug and play with the boys after 3+ years of no in-person contact but the 2 week visit felt so short. The younger one was just getting comfortable with us when it was time for us to leave. However asking to stay longer than 2 weeks seems like too much to ask of a very busy family where both parents are working. If they lived in the states it would be easier because we could help with childcare and getting them to their schools and activities because we could drive but driving in Australia at our age seems daunting (wrong side of the road). We are much older grandparents (70's) and travel to Australia was brutal - not to mention the cost on more limited incomes. It was an eye-opener just how awful the multiple flights, layovers, delays, and cramped seats are with airline travel these days. We are thinking of meeting them in Hawaii in 2025 which would be a much easier trip for us and that might work better for everyone. But I'm so sad I won't see them in person again for over a year. It breaks my heart. I thought seeing them in Australia would help with the grief of them moving so far away but in some ways it has made it worse. Before the trip I had this fantasy of being able to make the trip once a year but now I know that I'll be lucky if I can do it every several years. Seeing them at a halfway point like Hawaii is good but once again it is just a short visit. They will try to fly here but that is almost impossible with two very active little boys and professional schedules. However I'm sure they'll pull that off every several years. This is not what I had hoped and dreamed of as a grandparent. I had always thought I'd be a hands-on grandparent and very involved. My close friends and family ALL have their grandkids nearby and either babysit or at the very least share in birthdays, holidays, and sports events. My poor husband and I don't get to do any of these things in person! We do video calls once a week and catch little glimpses of holidays, etc. but it is NOTHING like sharing in hugs at birthdays or cheering on the boys at swimming lessons, etc. I don't know how I'm going to manage my overwhelmingly sad feelings. We're happy for them but for us it is a tremendous loss. Any suggestions?
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