Grandkids & Grandparents

[August1991]

I remember my grandmother (on one side) and my grandfather (on the other side). (My two other grandparents died before I was born, of currently curable afflictions.... )

As kids say today, all were biological. 

Did you meet, do you remember your four grandparents?

Do you think males need a grandparent?

The role of duty, gender and intergenerational care in grandmothers’ parenting of grandchildren: a phenomenological qualitative study - PMC

[Michael Hardner]

I'm also a descendant of the "families souches".

My French grandparents taught mercy and humour, and there are now 40 people in Ontario and Quebec who espouse their values.

Our economic systems upturned the traditions of large families that stayed close.  The impacts are pervasive and underappreciated.

[John Stone]

On 12/8/2025 at 6:40 AM, Michael Hardner said:

I'm also a descendant of the "families souches".

My French grandparents taught mercy and humour, and there are now 40 people in Ontario and Quebec who espouse their values.

Our economic systems upturned the traditions of large families that stayed close.  The impacts are pervasive and underappreciated.

............what I remember re: my paternal grandparents was anecdotes about WWII and  the Great Depression.

I think I could instruct either topic! lol

[Michael Hardner]

1 hour ago, John Stone said:

............what I remember re: my paternal grandparents was anecdotes about WWII and  the Great Depression.

I think I could instruct either topic! lol

My grandparents were around in WW1, but worked in supply side etc.

What they had back then is what we're heading towards today: families working to have food and shelter and not much more.

[John Stone]

2 hours ago, Michael Hardner said:

My grandparents were around in WW1, but worked in supply side etc.

What they had back then is what we're heading towards today: families working to have food and shelter and not much more.

.....probably not even SS.

[Michael Hardner]

17 hours ago, John Stone said:

.....probably not even SS.

No, they were Canadian.

[John Stone]

3 minutes ago, Michael Hardner said:

No, they were Canadian.

haha - Social Security / Medicare are fat cows. 

[Michael Hardner]

1 hour ago, John Stone said:

 ... fat cows. 

Well one of them was a butcher...

[User]

22 hours ago, Michael Hardner said:

What they had back then is what we're heading towards today: families working to have food and shelter and not much more.

What are you talking about?

The standards and quality of life today are insanely and wildly beyond what anyone had back then. 
 

 

[Michael Hardner]

6 hours ago, User said:

What are you talking about?

The standards and quality of life today are insanely and wildly beyond what anyone had back then. 

Not in all respects.

 

And the trend then was people saw things getting better.

[User]

Just now, Michael Hardner said:

Not in all respects.

 

And the trend then was people saw things getting better.

OK, sure, not 100% absolute statement, but still generally speaking yes. 

Things are still getting better now in many regards. 
 

You are also shifting this from a reality problem to one of perception.

The average person had no concept of a shower in WWI and barely a bath, sewage, plumbing, bathrooms, these are all common quality of life things folks in Western civilization just take for granted now. 
 

If you put someone from today, in the average life, back in WWI, average life, it would be insanely worse in so many regards.

This notion that folks are just getting by with food and shelter as if it were the same as WWI timeframe is silly. 

 

[Michael Hardner]

20 minutes ago, User said:

 

1. You are also shifting this from a reality problem to one of perception.

 

 

1. Yes, I admit this. But perception rules The day. I will even admit that most of the time I'm on the other side of the line, arguing reality over perception. 

And your points against me on this are 100% valid. 

But I also see what somebody like.. @Moonlight Graham means when he talks about everything falling apart in the last hundred years or so.

 

[August1991]

On 12/9/2025 at 11:36 AM, John Stone said:

............what I remember re: my paternal grandparents was anecdotes about WWII and  the Great Depression.

I think I could instruct either topic! lol

Everyone has four grandparents.

Did you ever get to meet all four? 

[August1991]

14 hours ago, User said:

What are you talking about?

....

Did you ever talk to your four grandparents?

[John Stone]

2 hours ago, August1991 said:

Everyone has four grandparents.

Did you ever get to meet all four? 

 

2 hours ago, August1991 said:

Everyone has four grandparents.

Did you ever get to meet all four? 

 

2 hours ago, August1991 said:

Everyone has four grandparents.

Did you ever get to meet all four? 

yes. 

[August1991]

On 12/11/2025 at 5:32 AM, John Stone said:

 

 

yes. 

To be clear, John Stone, you met and spoke to all four grandparents?

I didn't. I only knew/met two in my lifetime.

 

 

[August1991]

I have the DNA of a grandmother who died in 1929 and the grandfather who died in 1925.

[John Stone]

9 hours ago, August1991 said:

To be clear, John Stone, you met and spoke to all four grandparents?

I didn't. I only knew/met two in my lifetime.

 

 

Not necessarily a negative. 

The saying is that you should never meet your heroes? 

[August1991]

On 12/8/2025 at 5:40 AM, Michael Hardner said:

I'm also a descendant of the "families souches".

My French grandparents taught mercy and humour, and there are now 40 people in Ontario and Quebec who espouse their values.

Our economic systems upturned the traditions of large families that stayed close.  The impacts are pervasive and underappreciated.

Michael,

Did you meet all four biological grand-parents?

[Michael Hardner]

1 hour ago, August1991 said:

Michael,

Did you meet all four biological grand-parents?

Yes.  Two Quebecois from the 18th century.  Old great uncle also.

[August1991]

1 minute ago, Michael Hardner said:

Yes.  Two Quebecois from the 18th century.  Old great uncle also.

Huh? You had two grandparents born in the 18th century? And you met them?

Michael, are you - uh- 143 years old or so?

[August1991]

I met and knew only two of my four grandparents. I remember them.

I never met any of my eight great-grandparents.  

[Michael Hardner]

12 minutes ago, August1991 said:

Huh? You had two grandparents born in the 18th century? And you met them?

Michael, are you - uh- 143 years old or so?

No I am bad at arithmetic.  We never spoke French at home.  I remember my grandfather voted Unioniste, or at least that's what they said.  The Church controlled everything.  It was a different time.  

[August1991]

On 1/12/2026 at 11:13 PM, Michael Hardner said:

No I am bad at arithmetic.  We never spoke French at home.  I remember my grandfather voted Unioniste, or at least that's what they said.  The Church controlled everything.  It was a different time.  

He was Union nationale. That is the modern CAQ.

====

Trudeau Snr (and Seinfeld) had a good point about sports: we support the team wherever they were born.  

[Michael Hardner]

2 hours ago, August1991 said:

 we support the team wherever they were born.  

Not true of my Father who grew up in the glory days of the Leafs, then betrayed his team when he married a "French" girl.

He got more championships that way.