I know there have been previous posts about the little Musgroves, and how our culture today is more child-centric than in JA's day, yet it struck me while reading today how little Sir Walter seems to care about his only two grandchildren (or the daughter that produced them).

Is it because they are not in line to be baronets? --They are Musgrove heirs, not Elliot heirs? Is it because SW is vain and they don't look enough like him? I think it's more than contemporary culture because we see the Musgroves attending to the grandkids, and even Admiral Croft plays with them.