We spend 7 months a year near our grandkids in Texas. The other 5 are for us in Florida.

Valerie and Glenn Cherry split their time between Tampa and Florida.

Courtesy of Valerie Cherry Valerie Cherry was thrilled when her first grandchild was born.

She wanted to be a hands-on grandma.

The mom-of-one yearned to be closer to the young family but was reluctant to leave her hometown.

With 1,000 miles between them, she found a "middle ground" by renting nearby for half of the year.

This story is based on an interview with Valerie Cherry, 68, a clinical psychologist from Tampa, Florida.

It has been edited for length and clarity.

My husband, Glenn, 68, and I were delighted when our first grandchild — a little girl —was born four years ago.

Our son, Jamal, is an only child, and we are a very close-knit family.

We rushed from our home in Tampa to help him and our daughter-in-law, Sierra, who had settled 1,000 miles away in Houston, with the demands of a baby.

Do you have an interesting arrangement for caring for your grandchildren? Please send details to Jane Ridley at [email protected] if you'd like to share your story.

Our trips lasted between a month and six weeks, and there was a lot of to-ing and fro-ing between the two cities.

We'd either stay with the family or rent Airbnbs to give everyone a bit of space.

The Cherrys enjoy an active social life in Tampa.