@Uncle Ben
Mrs. CTL is mostly retired (due to medical reasons) but was a realtor/designer/builder. Her office is in an outbuilding on our property. If she has a construction project going on the grandchildren (as our kids) love to be on the building site helping and learning. Last summer our eldest grandson learned to drive small excavators and pickup trucks at a senior housing development we were doing.
I own my law firm, my children and some spouses are associates and taking over much of the workload as I near retirement. I have an office in the home as well. Unless I have to be in court, I can work remotely and take off lots of time in the summer.
Not only are all our grandchildren here for the summer, but many of my siblings grandchildren are also in the compound for the summer. Mrs. CTL’s sisters live within a block distance and tend to be here most days.
It’s almost like having our own bungalow colony without having to drive to the country.
Mrs. CTL and I made this decision many decades ago, to keep adding on to the house and amenities to keep the family together. We don’t go away on vacations, the kids and grandchildren are not shipped off to camp and we don’t pay dues to a swim or beach club. In all it has been much cheaper and we feel the children have been much safer than if in the care of strangers.