This reminds of one of my favorite riddles.  Why do grandparents and grandchildren get along so well? A. They have a common enemy.

We have great aspirations for them and want a close relationship. Since we are not the primary disciplinarian, provider and carry the day to day load of raising them, we can do the fun things and really enjoy them as individuals. It's just special.

Mark Don McInnes, Sandpoint I've been blessed again....I have 8 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild and all are in the same town as I am, except for 2 who are in Florida.... just being around them often is wonderful....holidays are always fun.... and watching them grow up, one day at a time, is something that can't be described.... 

I was at the hospital when little Caleb was born and now he's 5 months old... it's so much fun to see how he changes every day..... 

did I say, I can't wait for Santa Claus to come.... Christmas Eve is at my house!!! and I'll be at their home for Christmas Day....

Don't have any yet but wife insisted on the move to be ready! Must be important

Mark,

I think grandparents are very undervalued by some.  They have so much wisdom to pass on...A

Best gift I ever got Mark!

Mark Don McInnes, Sandpoint - there is a saying in my mother-tongue.

We love interest more than principal!

A friend said that grandchildren are God's reward to parents who do not murder their young when they are teething!  And they are like kittens - they are so cute you have to love them!

I have wondered this too Mark, I also see many who skip a generation with the inheritance too and will their land to a young grandchild rather than their adult children.

 They are special!

Man is that they may have joy.   Grandkids really bring joy in ways that are unexplainable.   The joy that I receive just when they run up the driveway to see me with arms outstretched and squealing with excitement to see me - just melts my heart!  Then picking up that squishy, cuddly excited little ball of joy and kissing those soft cuddly cheeks is true happiness!    Imagine a puppy, then imagine flesh and blood - it's not the same.   Grandkids bring unexplainable joy that you simply cannot even remotely get any other way.  

I am working with clients who want to be close to their grandkids and I closed someone on Friday moving for the same time! I love my Hamilton and hope to see him at least on a monthly basis! and I am grateful that people love their grandchildren!

Enjoy every special moment.

I don't have them yet but, I can say that I also want to be near my children - one is here in Charlotte and I love having him close by!  Can't wait for the grandkids though - and I completely agree with what Debbie Reynolds said.  At least that's how my grandparents were with me.  And, later on in life, they were good listeners and non-judgemental - I loved and still cherish their advice.

My guess is that it has to do with mortality. We know we are not going to be around forever. And let's not forget about the whole spoiling thing ...it is real.

Grandkids are just more fun. They make people feel youthful & yet you can leave them at the end of the day with their parents lol. 

I don't have any grandkids yet (I hope my daughter gets through college before she has kids), so I can't answer your question, but Debbie Reynolds has a good explanation.

While the grandparents here have shared some of the more sentimental reasons why this may be the case, my favorite answer so far is the one provided by Jerry Murphy, CRS.

I don't get it either.  You move closer and then the family moves farther away.  You just spent thousands of your equity fo what?

I don't have any grandkids yet, but hope to some day.  Everyone tells me grandchildren are wonderful.  You can enjoy them, spoil them, and turn them back over to their parents when they get troublesome.  And yes, I know of many who move in order to be near the grandkids.

The children are part of the package deal with the grandchildren.  Something changes when you have grandchildren, you want to be close to them so that you can be involved in their lives.  Presumably, you have more time than you did to spend with your children as you may be working much less or already retired.  Plus many people want to help defer the rising costs of full time daycare for their children by helping out.

We sll love our grandkids for sure.

There are people in this world that need to be needed. Grand-kids do nicely

I'm afraid I don't know the answer to that as my child is young.

I only have kitty grandkids so far, but suspect it might have something to do with pure, unconditional love.

Baby sitting opportunity to help your children.

I'd guess so they can be free babysitters to the parents?

parked and reading...

Grand kids are the future and we have a chance to be a major part of their lives, encouraging them, cheering them on, being there if they make mistakes to help them through..its a major part of our journey through life..and I for one cherish each and every moment I can garner with them!

Their 'kids' do not need them and they are making and blazing their own trail.

However, when they procreate, they suddenly see they need physical, emotional, financial and logistical help.

Suddenly, the Grandparents have re-established their relevance in this world. RELEVANCE. A human necessity.

There is no greater calling or requirement for sacrifice that that of choosing to be a parent. And those with many kids, are courageous beyond belief. The Grandparent desire to be relevant and essential is not less than when I pick up the dinner check for a family or speak a  word of encouragement to the mother and father whose child is disrupting the peace of other diners. My life is not so small I can not endure a crying bady or heart so closed I can not speak words of encouragement and grace to the parents.

In a society that has BETRAYED its children it takes each and everyone one of US and every grandparent to join with the parent to make sure that young life is nurtured by the right examples , values, encouragement, discipline and hope. The social re-engineering the PHD's have put in place is not for the benefit of the parent or child.

There's something very special about the relationship with grandkids because we are not their parents. They act differently with us for that reason, and we with them. We get to enjoy more of the special, fun times and less of the not so fun, and perhaps because we are not around them all the time the dynamics are more centered on the relationship itself.

Children's children are the crown of old men; And the glory of children are their fathers. Proverbs 17:6 I think says it all.

Because we've learned the lessons of parenting and know that rules were necessary for our kids, but we aren't in charge of the rules anymore (most of the time) and can just love them like they should be loved - wholeheartedly. I now understand the old expression: If I had known how much fun grandkids were, I would have had them first. 

Grandkids are a legal drug.  They're highly addictive.  

I don't know, Mark.  Maybe one day I will.

Mark,

Words can not describe the joy grand-kids will bring. They love you unconditionally. They are definitely a blessing from GOD:)

They remind us of our youth and help keep us active. 

I personally would not move to be closer as transportation gets us there so quickly.

Others have answered.

I am in that situation now.  But I think that if their parents are like we were, they will move again... Still, I visit as often as possible!

We rarely hear that for moves to Florida, but from Florida back up North; Yes!.

Most of my customers want to be away from their kids etc LOL - so they retire to Florida and allow them to come once  a year ;)

Hard to answer that question.... but I see it all the time, as well. Working with a couple right now who are moving here because their grands are here. We have four grandchildren, now grown, but it never ocurred to us to "follow them" in terms of our lifestyle.

It is true, I hear a reason of relocation from grandparents are moving to be closer to their grand-kids more often. 

Some people ASSume their grandchildren will help take care of them as they age.  They want to spend more time with them, etc...