It's important to respect the increasingly vital role grandparents play in family life

Age Concern

Nearly one in two grandparents surveyed said that they regularly spent time with their grandchildren - often in a baby-sitting role.

On average, grandparents spend at least 40 days a year looking after their grandchildren - allowing parents time off from caring duties.

Interestingly, of the 1,001 people surveyed by Abbey National bank only 6% said that their grandparents had spent time with them when they were young.

Cheaper option

However, the burden of care is not being shared evenly between the grandparents.

On average grandmothers spend an hour and a half with their grandchildren each time they baby-sit, while grandfathers manage only 79 minutes.

With the cost of formal childcare rising, having a grandparent happy to look after their grandchildren is a real boon for working families in particular.

Grandparents usually prove a cheap option, instead of being paid the going rate for care by parents - nearly �3 an hour - grandparents receive payment in kind.

Grandparents who muck-in and look after their grandchildren are twice as likely to be taken on holiday than grandparents who fail to lend a helping hand.

An Age Concern spokesman said: "Grandparents are often the glue that helps to bind a family together. It's important to respect the increasingly vital role they play in family life."

Your comments:

My parents care for my two children each day as I work full-time. I wouldn't manage without them. The children have a fantastic relationship with them and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Karen, England

Spare a thought for those of us who live hundreds of miles away from either set of Grandparents. What we would give for a cheaper night out!!
Steve, UK

I am a 36 year old working mother. My daughter had her first birthday on August 11th. I work 28 hours a week and whilst I am at work, my parents look after her, predominately my Mum. I do pay her �100 a month as I feel she should have something from me to say thank you. Without her help, childcare fees would be most of my wages. I wish I didn't have to work but in today's climate and on a personal level, we need both the wages of myself and my fianc�e.
Caroline Pratt, UK

I would like to know why a survey like this was ever done. Isn't it NORMAL to share childcare with family members? Why does everything have to have a monetary value attached?
Vittoria Lutje, UK

In Spain there are great state nurseries which cost around �50-�100 per month

Garrido, UK

Grandparents are indeed a godsend - I would not be able to cope without their emotional and physical help.
Sarah, UK

Being Spanish and working in the UK, unfortunately my family is not around to help with childcare. I find that the childcare costs in this country are ridiculous. I live in London where it costs around �1000 per month for a full time nursery place. I am now expecting my second child which will bring the cost to �2000 a month. I have a well paid job in the IT industry but even so it will not be worth to continue working. In Spain there are great state nurseries which cost around �50-�100 per month. If the government wants professional women to continue working after having children they need to do something about this.
Garrido, UK

My mum is great. She collects my son from nursery every night as there's no way I'd get through the traffic in time. I wouldn't be able to work full time if she didn't help with my son.
Sal, England

It's all very well saving money by getting grandparents to baby-sit, but this is no substitute at all for proper child care. Baby sitting is simply that, child care is an introduction to formal schooling with activities for children that encourage them to learn. Baby-sitting is generally putting the kids in front of the TV. I have been a first hand witness to this type of situation myself, however in this particular case, the grandparent wanted full childminding rates by simply offering a daily diet of TV for the children she 'cared' for. A switch to proper child care made an incredible difference on the attitudes and abilities of the children concerned. Cheap or free is not always best.
Paul D, UK

I think that it's great that grandparents look after the kids. I was very lucky to have grandparents who looked after me a lot. However, it is very important that we as a society start to rely on grandparents as a form of childcare when the childcare society should provide is faltering. We are not all so lucky to have parents who are alive and well enough to help out with children.
Anna, Sweden

I love looking after my grand children. I have just become a grandmother for the second time three weeks ago. Since last January I have looked after my grand daughter Alisha every Monday, and quite often have baby sat at other times and I love it. The new arrival is now three weeks old and he is called Jasper and no doubt I will be looking after him and Alisha on a regular basis in the not too distant future. At the moment their mum is at home with them but I still see them on a regular basis.
Anna Dance, England

I don't see what all the fuss is about. Living with your extended family is a very popular thing to do for many Asian families.
Tanj Sandhu, UK

My parents have looked after my 3 year old daughter on a full time basis since I returned to work after the birth. However, as my parents are not registered child minders and look after my daughter out of love, neither my parents or I are entitled to any financial help towards the cost of looking after her. I think the legislation should be widened to include family members who help with childcare on a permanent/long term basis.
Karen, England

In this day and age, I would not be happy leaving my child with someone whom I do not know and trust, which is why grandparents are ideal. And I know that my Mum would not just put a child in front of the TV - she didn't do it with us, so why would she with her grandchild?
Natalie, UK

y mother waved us off to school every day and welcomed us home in the evening with a home made evening meal. Money was tight on my father's wage but we managed very happily. Whilst my parents do not yet have any grandchildren I would not put the burden on to them of having grandchildren to look after. They have had their time bring up children and it's time for them to enjoy themselves in retirement.
Katy, England

I am a working mother with two children. I have a wonderful childminder who looks after my children whilst I am at work. My parents help out when my childminder is on holiday or when necessary due to sickness, but I think they should be able to spend their retirement taking part in activities that they enjoy and had to put to one side whilst they brought up my brothers and myself
Kathy, England

I would give anything to be able to look after my grandchildren. Unfortunately they live hundreds of miles away near London and apart from visiting about four times a year, my only contact is by telephone. How I envy these grandparent who live 'just around the corner'.
Pat Mackay, Scotland

My wife is a childminder looking after children who have previously been cared for by grandparents. They generally lack the ability to interact with children of a similar age as they are never taken to toddler groups etc. As far as childcare costs are concerned, �2/hour is what my wife charges which I don't think is expensive.
David Cairns, Scotland

My daughter is 7 and is looked after by my parents and in-laws after school and in the holidys whilst my husband and I work full time. I know that everyday she is with people who love and care for her very much. She is not simply placed before a tv screen and left to it. She is learning respect for others and an appreciation of life from a generation who are probably the last to be able to teach it! We are very lucky this care doesn't cost anything which enables us to provide our daughter with a private education. As I see it she gets the best of all worlds!
AC, England

Not all grandparents are the saintly characters portrayed in these reports!

Jim wetherall, UK

My parents do not see it as a burden to look after my son. They adore him. We lived with them for the first 18 months of his life and he has a fantastic relationship with them. If they were not around I wouldnt be able to work, pay my mortgage and feed and clothe my son. My husband and I are eternally grateful to them for all the help they willingly give us. As for childcare being a form of teaching, it is a known fact that children learn through play, so what better place to do this than in the arms of thier loving grandparents?
Victoria, UK

When my wife and I became parents for the first time eight years ago, we anticipated and kind of 'expected' our parents to want to take an active role in raising our children. To date the help with general child care, even visits, has been minimal - the odd offer to baby sit on an anniversary - but very little else. The excuse from both sets of grandparents is that they are 'fully booked' or 'too busy'. Its really sad because I feel the children just don't know these people the way a child would normally love a grandparent. In the end everyone loses out. My wife doesn't go out to work, the cost of child care would render it pointless, so we get by on one income. Not all grandparents are the saintly characters portrayed in these reports!
Jim Wetherall, UK

Many grandparents do not know how to raise children these days. The whole environment, ethos, basically the whole way of life has changed since they were parents. How can a 65 year old chase after a screaming toddler in the high street? Many many issues are raised by this topic and basically most come into the bracket of greed! There is no thought for the child!
Karl, UK

Everyone who has parents who are willing to look after their grandchildren, think yourselves lucky. We beg to be allowed out a couple of times a year; usually on our anniversary, and perhaps a birthday. And then we have to be back by 10-11pm. Anyone wonder why the average number of children per couple in the UK is falling ?
S Mo, UK

To all those with helpful grandparents - thank them constantly! Nannies can be so unreliable and everyone needs a backup in emergencies. It's just not the same with "outsiders" especially in stressful situations. Families need to stick together and it's very hard for parents today - very long hours, soaring house prices and no job security. Grandparents who help out have always been a huge part of family life and are always adored by their grandchildren! I'm very sad about my situation but have come to terms with it.
Diana Woodward, UK

I didn't have any relationship with my grandparents and it is so nice that my children really know and love their grandparents

Sue, England

A good grandparent/child relationship is priceless - children will speak to their grandparents about things they might not bring to their parents. Its good for both when it works well.
Ann Jones, UK

I'm looking forward to being a cranky pensioner and hope I don't have to spend my retirement looking after my childrens babies!
Chris, England

I just don't know what I would do without my childrens grandparents! I work full time and both of my children walk from school to my parents house and stay with them for an hour after school until they are picked up. I didn't have any relationship with my grandparents and it is so nice that my children really know and love their grandparents.
Sue, England

My Mum and Dad looks after our lovely daughter full-time. If it wasn't for them we don't know what we would have done. She is a happy child and loves being with her grandparents. Thanks Mum and Dad. We are forever grateful.
Gail, Scotland,UK

My father baby sat for my daughter when she was younger so that I could return to work, they developed a fantastic relationship. Now my father has had quite a few strokes and my daughter returns the favour and goes round to look after him and do his shopping and housework. I couldnt have asked for better child care and my father has been rewarded by having a grandchild who loves nothing more than spending time with her
Lyn, UK

There are Grandparents and then there are grandparents!

Guy Millward, UK

I look after my twin grandchildren two days a week. This is no imposition at all as I have seen them growing through the various stages of development. Now, at 27 months old, they are one of the great joys of my life and I look forward to spending as much time with them as I can.
Lynne Edwards, England

My parents live a good 250 miles away and are willing to travel and stay with the children so that my wife and I can have a holiday. My wife's parents, however, who live two doors away wouldn't come round to open a tin to feed the babies when my wife had broken her wrist! There are Grandparents and then there are grandparents!
Guy Millward, uk