gyles brandreth says the greatest joy of being a grandparent is breaking the rules, and he makes the point as a grandfather of seven. The 78-year-old broadcaster and author says holidaying with children and grandchildren leaves him feeling younger, more alive and optimistic.
Seven grandchildren, ages 10 to 21
Brandreth said his grandchildren are aged between 10 and 21, and that he and his wife Michèle go away with their children and grandchildren as often as they can. He framed that as the point of the trip itself: the family gets time together, and the grandparents get to loosen the rules that usually govern bedtime, treats and meal times.
“I’m a very experienced grandfather – I don’t claim to be the best, but I do claim to be one of the most enthusiastic,” he said to the Press Association. His own description lines up with Hilton’s research, which found that 77% of grandparents bend the rules on holiday in ways they would not have allowed when their own children were young.
Hilton's 77% rule bend
The research gives the practice a sharper edge than the warm family rhetoric. It found that 30% of grandparents say that rule-breaking can cause tension with their adult children, while 69% spoil their grandchildren more on holiday and 40% say holiday is their favourite time to do it. Around two-thirds let grandchildren stay up later than bedtime, and grandparents spend an average of four hours a day entertaining them.
“Around two-thirds of grandparents admit they dial up the spoiling on holiday,” Brandreth said, adding: “I don’t know why it is, but on holiday, the rules get broken.” He also said, “You can keep them up – around two-thirds of grandparents let grandchildren stay up later than bedtime, plus extra treats, playing more games, relaxing rules around meal times.”
Gran-ual Leave campaign
The campaign sits inside Hilton’s “Gran-ual Leave” push, which encourages families to take grandparents along as a holiday hack. Hilton’s numbers also suggest the habit is growing: 25% of grandparents say they are holidaying more with their children and grandchildren than five years ago, and 69% have gone on holiday with their grandchildren in the past year.
“If you go away with your children and grandchildren, you’re giving the parents kid-free time,” Brandreth said. That is the practical appeal for families: 24 hours of child-free downtime for parents on a week-long trip, nearly two-and-a-half additional hours of playtime and bonding for children each day, and almost 14 extra hours of it across a week. Brandreth’s pitch is blunt enough to survive the marketing gloss: “It works for everybody.”
