Let me help y'all out a little bit
Living near your adult children is great, that is half the battle
Helping when they "need" you is also great
But that's not family or community
Family looks like dropping by unannounced and taking the kids for icecream
Community looks like getting a call to come hangout last minute and you actually go hangout
It looks like doing chores, holding the baby or making dinner without them asking for it
If grandparents want to be part of their kids and grandkids life it involves time. Not just an every once and a while thing.
And I understand that not all families want to be friends too. Great, I'll see you at Christmas once a year.
But if you want something different it involves living different. Something our ancestors knew way more about than we do.
This is partially why I hate globalism. It destroyed how we live in community. Close to production where you depended on the people you lived near.
This is important.