Her name will inevitably be linked with her more famous son; but Jane Fearnley-Whittingstall is busy establishing a niche for herself as “Britain’s favourite granny” with a best selling book and a successful advice website. She tells all to Tony Watts.

No-one who has been a parent would describe the role as “easy”. And, arguably, it’s as tough a job today as it has ever been.

But, equally, this is also a difficult time to find yourself being a grandparent. As Jane Fearnley-Whittingstall points out, “Many find themselves being expected to provide a lot of the childcare because so many parents now work. But grandparents themselves are often working, or have other commitments.”

Then there is the whole minefield of different standards and ways of dealing with situations. Issues such as “manners”, eating habits, and what children should be watching, wearing, reading or listening to.

These potential areas of conflict have proved meat and drink to Jane who, over the last couple of years, has turned her own experiences and that of hundreds of other grandparents, into a successful book – “The Good Granny Guide” - and a highly popular website.

Both are stuffed with sound advice, but her stance is a long way from “granny or granddad knows best”. “Where we regularly turned to our parents for advice, parents these days don’t listen to our generation as much,” she says. “For a start, there is so much more information out there - in magazines, books and on the web – so your own children won’t automatically assume that what you have to say is right.

“And there’s an awful lot more science as well. We have to move with the times. I think there should be grandparenting classes available when a baby is on the way. There’s still plenty for us to learn.”

She cites the example of helping her daughter change her newborn baby’s nappy. “Where’s the talcum powder?” asked Jane. “Mum, they don’t use that now,” came the reply.

Tactless phrases described as “taboo” in her book include: “goodness, feeding him again”; “we never did that with you”; “when are you going to get his hair cut?”; “I wonder why he isn’t crawling / walking / talking yet?”; and “she’s never any trouble when she’s with me”. It’s easy to see why Jane’s advice is as popular with parents as it is with grandparents.

The advice she offers also includes aspects such as access to grandchildren; surrogate grandparenting; tackling prickly relationships between in-laws and new step-families; and single parenting. “But I focus on the positive aspects of grandparenting,” she says, “and the sheer joy you can have.

“This relationship can be so positive – there’s often more time for you to be creative and have fun. The pressures of parenthood aren’t there.”

Although Jane’s son Hugh may be the better-known Fearnley-Whittingstall, his mum is coming up fast on the outside. Prior to being best known as a granny she had a long established career in garden design – winning several times over at Chelsea and authoring two popular books. It’s a skill still very much in use, although these days her work tends to be more local than national.

She also incorporates a lot of her gardening expertise into her grannying role, maintaining that working in the garden together can be a huge way of bonding with a grandchild – and passing on a love of nature that will last for life.

Her own grandchildren, of course, were the foundation stones of her book. Hugh has two boys and an adopted daughter, while daughter Sophie has two little girls.

This month sees “Grandparenting Day” when Jane is getting involved in a whole series of events. It also sees the launch of a new TV series of “Jakers” which is a children’s programme that she helps to promote because, she says, it has such positive messages – “especially being kind to people.”

Watching programmes like this with your grandchildren can be another way of bonding with your grand offspring – shared experiences that will always be remembered, along with reading stories, cooking and the whole host of creative activities detailed in her book and website.

Jane may, in many ways, be a thoroughly modern granny; but she has captured the essence of the traditional values of grandparenting that will never age.