Our neighbors didn't have family, so they became like grandparents to my kids. I still regret that I couldn't help them more than I did.

• I'm a mom of three kids and live in Wales. • My family developed a close relationship with our neighbors, who became like grandparents. • Eventually, I had to set boundaries, which caused friction in our relationship.

Eleven years ago, we moved into the house next to our new neighbors who were then both 79.

Only separated by a narrow alleyway between our two terraced houses, which were built during the first few years of 1900s, my husband and I knew we quickly needed to extend friendship to make our future relationship in such close quarters a positive one.

We brought our 1-year-old son around to their house with cookies and always took time to chat when passing outside. She was an English teacher in her working years and couldn't wait to tell me about the newest novel she was rea