Is your granny revolting? - Nans are getting their granny knickers in a twist and going on strike.
Price of support stockings gone up? Early frost hit the dalias? No, they are utterly fed up with providing unpaid childcare.
OK, so it's Spanish grans and grandads who are being encouraged to down buggies on Wednesday, but it could happen here.
In Spain half of all grandparents look after their grandchildren every day.
One in eight is responsible for more than nine hours childcare a day.
The strike, called by the UGT general workers' union is to publicise the role these unpaid workers play in keeping the economy going.
Manuel Pastrana, says: "We want grandparents to strike to prove they are a key part of the way this country functions.
"Learn to say "no" and "don't feel guilty" are the slogans.
Are the UK's 14 million grandmothers as militant?
The numbers involved in childcare are greater than in Spain. One in three British mums depends on grandparents at some point for childcare.
Online support group Grannynet reckons we can head off a grump grandad strike by establishing ground rules.
Founder Verity Gill says: "We must acknowledge the substantial financial contribution grandparents make towards childcare within our families and the economy.
"Otherwise the UK could face a strike by our unrecognised and unpaid workforce."
Granny Lydia Collins, 68, from Jesmond, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, looks after her daughter's two children Molly, four, and Oliver, two.
She says: "My daughter Jenny is a single mum and a nurse. She works shifts so she relies on me to be pick the kids up from nursery.
"I do love spending so much time with the children. But it is exhausting.
"I know Oliver is going to be a real handful over the next couple of years but I'll do my best to keep up with him.
"I wouldn't strike, I'd feel terrible. I know Jenny appreciates the help."
A recent survey carried out by Grannynet found 78% of grandparents and parents agreed that families should establish some kind of formal childcare arrangement when grandparents were providing the childcare.
To help avoid family tensions the site has come up with a set of groundrules for parents and grandparents. Read their 10 point checklist below.
Price of support stockings gone up? Early frost hit the dalias? No, they are utterly fed up with providing unpaid childcare.
OK, so it's Spanish grans and grandads who are being encouraged to down buggies on Wednesday, but it could happen here.
In Spain half of all grandparents look after their grandchildren every day.
One in eight is responsible for more than nine hours childcare a day.
The strike, called by the UGT general workers' union is to publicise the role these unpaid workers play in keeping the economy going.
Manuel Pastrana, says: "We want grandparents to strike to prove they are a key part of the way this country functions.
"Learn to say "no" and "don't feel guilty" are the slogans.
Are the UK's 14 million grandmothers as militant?
The numbers involved in childcare are greater than in Spain. One in three British mums depends on grandparents at some point for childcare.
Online support group Grannynet reckons we can head off a grump grandad strike by establishing ground rules.
Founder Verity Gill says: "We must acknowledge the substantial financial contribution grandparents make towards childcare within our families and the economy.
"Otherwise the UK could face a strike by our unrecognised and unpaid workforce."
Granny Lydia Collins, 68, from Jesmond, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, looks after her daughter's two children Molly, four, and Oliver, two.
She says: "My daughter Jenny is a single mum and a nurse. She works shifts so she relies on me to be pick the kids up from nursery.
"I do love spending so much time with the children. But it is exhausting.
"I know Oliver is going to be a real handful over the next couple of years but I'll do my best to keep up with him.
"I wouldn't strike, I'd feel terrible. I know Jenny appreciates the help."
A recent survey carried out by Grannynet found 78% of grandparents and parents agreed that families should establish some kind of formal childcare arrangement when grandparents were providing the childcare.
To help avoid family tensions the site has come up with a set of groundrules for parents and grandparents. Read their 10 point checklist below.
Gran you believe it? ... Grandparents are tired of being treated like "unpaid workers"
- Establish how many hours each party thinks is acceptable? What about evenings/babysitting?
- Is payment expected? If so, how much?
- Should parents provide the odd treat as a 'thank-you' or perhaps cover any travel costs?
- Is the grandparent going to train as a childminder?
- Will the grandchildren be looked after at home or at their grandparent's house?
- Are the parents happy for the grandparents to take the children out without prior knowledge?
- Should the grandparent have a kitty?
- Who should be responsible for providing the children's meals?
- If it's the grandparents should they be given a budget? And is there a preferred meal structure such as how, when or where?
- Do you need to draw up some ground rules on things like sweets and snacks?
( thesun.co,uk )
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