I've been had! Well,........ manipulated!

[WinterDeere]

I grew up swimming in ponds and lakes of PA (poconos). Definitely need a rinse off afterwards, haha.

Same. And I wasn't sure what sort of respiratory bug I was picking up from that water, but I'd often have trouble breathing for a few days after swimming in the lakes at our boyscouts camps, scattered around eastern PA and the Poconos.

 

[Gem99ultra]

Twice this week and once last week I've driven 40 minutes to pick up my 16-year old granddaughter and then driven 30 minutes to take her to golf lessons. (Local celebrity golfer holding classes). Then I wait around for a couple hours to take her home. Lunch included wherever she wants to eat. During our talks in the drive it has been established that: 1. she hasn't been to a beach in a couple years, 2. she sure would like to go to a beach, 3. younger sister (recently 10th birthday) has only been to a beach once since she was a baby, 4. I would be a fantastic granddaddy if I somehow planned, organized, and paid for a beach vacation for her, her sister, and the entire family including her parents, aunt, uncle, and three cousins. So counting myself and my wife there would be eleven of us.

Anybody else have granddaughters? Do they manipulate you so easily? I mean, dang it, I know I should be harder to control. But since she was born with these big brown eyes and the longest eye lashes she has managed to do this. And she has taught her younger sister and cousin the drill. Want something from granddaddy, just stare at him, blink your eyes, smile, and say please.

Well the stock market is doing well, and I might as well spend it as to hoard it. Rather see them happy now as getting the cash when I die. I'm thinking these thoughts as I search VRBO for a house big enough for eleven on a beach within a one day drive from Western Kentucky.

A manipulated RSKY

Congrats! You qualify as a perfectly honed grandfather. Ain't life good!

 

[CATRAT66]

My problem is Grandma.
She doesn’t wait for the kids to ask for stuff.
She just plans it out and informs them of when we will be picking them up to go to Florida, Maine, SC, or wherever else she decides we all need to go.

 

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

Good times/ great memories...

 

[Sigarms]

I guess I'm too much of a fuddy duddy LOL

When our boys were growing up in our house, if they ever asked their grandparents to spend money on them (I can't really remember them ever asking, other than if they were asked about a Christmas or birth day present, which of course was ok) they would be getting a stern lecture on not asking relatives to spend money on them.

When we would go on family vacations with the boys to Tennessee, Florida or the shores in NC, SC or Georgia, if our parents came with us, they came as our guests and they weren't expect to pay for anything. They would just have to get there, other than my dad who was getting to old for flying and since he had a 8 hour drive himself, he'd go in our vehicle.

Our parents always offered to help on the lodging or meals, and we would never say no (generally it was on meals).

A very long time ago my wife got into time sharing. We didn't finance it but bought it outright (and believe me, I almost fell over dead at the time on the cost LOL). Wife's point was she generally planned the vacation, and this was something she wanted to get into. Honestly, I wasn't sold on the type of lodging at the time vs what we spent upfront, but I will admit it has worked out very well for us a family over the last 15 years (added my wife never complains whenever I bought a guns). We still pay an annual maintenance cost of about $600 a year, but when you can get a 2-3 bedroom, 2 bath, full kitchen along with washer and dryer for that annual maintenance cost for a full week or two out of the year, I must admit over the years, it has worked well for us as an extended family.

Owning a time share does require work playing their game of "owning" points and planning on your end. It's apparently a game my wife plays well.