‘You have to get to like children’s films and going to McDonald’s, you have to adapt’

DENA BRODERICK has her hands full looking after her three grandchildren, but says she would not have it any other way.

When her daughter Jacqui and her three children moved from England to Co Galway eight years ago, Dena moved with them.

From May to September, Jacqui, a writer, works as a guide on the Connemara trail so is gone from Monday to Saturday during the season.

Dena, 68, is a full-time childminder during this period, looking after Kelly, 13, 11-year-old James and India, eight. For the rest of the year, they share the childcare.

“I worked when my own children were growing up, I was a single mother and had to work. My mother looked after my children so I’m getting a chance now to enjoy doing the things I had to hurry through,” says Dena.

However, she believes it is easier for her to be a full-time childminder because she is not married.

“The situation is fine for me because I’m on my own, I have no one else to worry about but I think it would be very difficult for a couple, to find time to do things together,” she says.

“Sometimes there are clashes with things I want to do and things Jacqui wants to do but we work around it.

“I had quite a social life in the UK in terms of going to the cinema, theatre and concerts and going out for lunch or dinner with groups of friends.

“I don’t have that here but having a social life and looking after children can’t really be done. If you do look after grandchildren, you have to be 100% there for them. It’s not as easy as working a full-time job, it’s 24/7.”

Being adaptable is one of the most important parts of childcare, she says.

“You have to be prepared to do things such as hospital appointments, dental appointments, it all comes under childcare, and you have to fit them with the school schedule. You have to get to like children’s films and going to McDonald's. You have to adapt.”

As the older children approach their teens, Dena admits things may become more difficult.

“There has to be a definite line, I don’t feel I want to take responsibility for some of the teenage activities.”

She admits there can be differences between her attitudes and those of her daughter. “Sometimes perhaps I tend to overstep the mark with discipline. My generation are more disciplinarian, but it hasn’t caused any major problems so far.”

Dena says she understands why some grandparents don’t want to look after their grandchildren.

“I think they must be feeling they were denied certain things when their kids were growing up. I can understand grandparents wanting to do those things now, especially if they’re young and had their kids in their 20s.”

As for Dena, she’s happy with the way things have worked out.

“I love it, I wouldn’t have done anything else.”