Friday, November 22, 2019

Grannies are good for you

Husband was telling me about some research that has been done into mammals whose females live long after they are of offspring-bearing age. That includes humans, of course, plus elephants and whales.

The most popular explanation is the 'Granny effect.' Meaning the older females are needed to help look after the young who need nurturing for longer than other animals.

We have evolved to become grannies. Let me write that again: grannies are at a higher stage of evolution than the rest of the population. Well, that's my take on it. I assume that includes any older women not just those fortunate enough to be grannies.

No offence to all you men out there but some of us are just further up the chain.

P.S. I've just discovered the Granny effect was first suggested as far back as 1966. And I might have made a joke of it but scientific research has proven that grannies are good for you.
Me with my mum, great-gran and gran. We all lived in the same house, along with my grandfather, and my gran was mostly responsible for my every-day upbringing as my mum had to go out to work. My gran was a formidable woman; she wouldn't have had any trouble complaining to a solicitor.

5 comments:

Marie Smith said...

We live near our three grandchildren and I love that time I get with them. I so agree with this post. I had a wonderful grandmother and could only hope to be as fondly remembered by my grandchildren.

miruspeg said...

Love the photo Liz and this post.
More power to the Granny effect.
I haven't any children, so no grandchildren, but I am a surrogate Mother and Grandmother to a friend's child and her children.
My fried had a stroke in 1999 and died in 2012 and it was such a privilege to step into her shoes and help out her family.

So yes the Granny effect rocks!!
Big hugs
Peggy xxxxx

Debra She Who Seeks said...

I bet your gran would have kicked that young lawyer's ass.

Anne in Oxfordshire said...

Well I live no where near any of my grandchildren or my sons or my mother. I never lived near family when I had my sons, lived overseas. And then somewhere in England, Scotland or Wales. I had very little contact with my beloved dad's family, who lived in Malta. My beloved dad died when he was only 40., I was 10, family contact then faded. I had more contact with my granny on my mums side. But even then, we lived overseas when I was a child. I now can't afford to go to see my sons as much as I would like, I also have to find work, just like many millions of women born in the 1950s. Mum's work more, dad's do too. Children at school. Etc. So it is all different., For many of us. Sadly. Life is all different.

Liz Hinds said...

She would have done, Debra!

That's sad, Anne.