Is the role of grandparent still important?

With ever-increasing childcare costs, grandparents are often drafted in to help out overstretched parents. But has this put too much pressure on grandparents with the enjoyment of becoming a grandma or granddad lost to the responsibility of regular childcare duties? Children undeniably learn important lessons from the older generation, but with the retirement age becoming later and later is it unfair to ask the elderly to take on another, at times physically challenging, role? Readers share their views on what the role of a grandparent should be and how important that role is today.