Raising a child when approaching 70 years of age has come with its challenges for Meg Reyner but neither she nor Judy Skipper regret taking on the responsibility of each raising one of their grandchildren.
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The women are hoping to meet others in a similar situation and with assistance from Orange Family Support Service they are setting up a support group for Orange grandparents who raise their grandchildren as full-time carers or guardians - when the children's parents aren't able to.
As well as giving the grandparents a chance to socialise there will also be a formal meeting to discuss ideas and share information.
"One of the reasons we are setting this up is information is really hard to find," Ms Skipper said.
I found it really difficult meeting other parents because [they initially] thought here was Granny dropping her off.
- Judy Skipper
"It's almost like being a new mum again," Ms Reyner said.
Ms Skipper raises her granddaughter on her pension and the family tax benefit and said she thought she would be travelling in her retirement rather than raising a now school-age granddaughter since she was one-year-old.
She said raising her granddaughter was different to how she raised her children and due to physical limitations she had to teach her granddaughter how to be more independent from the beginning.
"You don't have to be perfect, some days it is hard," Ms Skipper said.
Ms Skipper said there's also new technology to be aware of, changes in language and cultural interests and although she was lucky and had supportive friends, it could be "extremely isolating" as none of her friends had children around.
"I found it really difficult meeting other parents because [they initially] thought here was Granny dropping her off," she said.
MAP: The support group will be held at Orange Family Support Service in March Street ...
"The young dads at the school took me under their wing.
"If you have an older teacher they relate a bit better.
"I've met some amazing people."
Ms Reyner is almost 70, has retired after working for 50 years in the health and welfare sector and said as a grandparent she also had different ideas of standards of disciple than what her grandson previously experienced.
"They are better off in grandparents care than in foster care by a long shot.
- Sue Brown
"Some of the grandchildren come in with baggage," she said.
"Sometimes children come from horrendous backgrounds and have different moral values and pre-existing ideas."
However, she said she enjoys watching his sense of humour develop and both women said raising a grandchild has kept them young and it was rewarding to see them improve at school, laugh, feel safe, learn boundaries and manners.
Orange Family Support Services case manager Sue Brown said grandparents going through this experience have contacted the organisation previously and there appeared to be an increasing number of grandparents raising grandchildren when their parents no longer could.
"They are better off in grandparents care than in foster care by a long shot," she said.
The support group will meet at Orange Family and Community Support Service in March Street from 10am to noon on the first and third Friday every month with the first meeting to be held on March 1.
For more information call 6361 1004 and leave a message with contact details.
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