You say ‘no candy’ and yet your kids come home with chocolate on their face.
You say ‘no tv’ yet they talk about watching “Golden Girls” with grandma.
It seems like every time the kids hit grandma’s, rules just go OUT the window and it can be really frustrating…until I read this. Here’s a mom’s heart-throbbing open letter to the grandma who wouldn’t say ‘no,’ and it may just change your perspective forever:
You always stole my thunder. You gave them everything they wanted. You never said no when they asked for anything.
A second helping of dessert. Candy before dinner. A few more minutes in the bath. Money for the ice cream truck.
How I struggled to show you respect and appreciation while trying to make sure you didn’t spoil my children. I thought you would turn them into “selfish brats” by giving them everything they wanted. I thought they might never learn to wait, to take turns, to share, because you granted their wishes as soon as they opened their mouths and pointed.
You held each one of my babies long after they fell asleep. Didn’t you understand that I needed them to learn to fall asleep on their own?
You ran to them as soon as they made the tiniest sound. How would they ever learn to self-soothe?
I resented you for buying the best and most expensive gifts on their birthdays and on Christmas. How could I possibly compete with you? How do you think it feels to know that the very best presents, the ones they’ll be the most excited and aglow about, are not from their parents?
And how they loved afternoons spent with you. You made their favorite things for dinner — three different meals for three different boys. And you always had a little surprise. A present, candy or a special treat. I didn’t want them to associate you with gifts and sweets. I thought they should love you for you. I tried to tell you this, but you wouldn’t listen. You continued to indulge them in every way possible.
