With a report suggesting around five million grandparents are taking on childcare in the UK, Good Morning Britain interviewed grandma Liz Hodgkinson and single mum Amy Nikell on Friday morning.
Writer Liz claims that grandparents like her are exploited if they’re expected to look after their grandchildren for free.
The show dubbed it “Grannannying”, and while Liz suggested it wasn’t right and grandparents should be paid, Amy insisted her own mum who looks after her little boy, has “flourished” and “really benefited” from spending time with him.
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Grandmother-of-five Liz responded: “To tell you the truth there’s not a sum of money in the world that would have persuaded me look after my grandchildren.
“I cannot stand looking after small children, I hate all games, I hate swings and roundabouts.”
Host Ben Shephard asked her if she was like that with her own children.
“Yes,” she replied. “You look at your watch and you think you’ve been with them all day and it’s only half past 11, and you think ‘what do I do with them now?'”
On the subject of paying grandparents to care for the kids, Amy went on to say: “As a parent you know their limit, I know when [Mum’s] had enough. The idea that you would pay a grandparent to look after your child? Send them some flowers, give them some champagne don’t send an invoice.
“You shouldn’t monetise that relationship.”
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Charlotte Hawkins also stepped in and added that it’s just what family does, challenging Liz about when she’s older and might need care: “Would you pay them to look after you?”
“That won’t be happening,” Liz said.
Liz also went on to say she was in fact brought up by her grandparents!
Viewers at home were totally unimpressed by her attitude.