Questions tagged [grandparents]
Questions related to the role of grandparents in a child's development.
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How do I enforce a boundary asking my parents to give our kids fewer gifts?
It sounds a bit ungrateful, but my mom gives so many gifts that it actually inhibits any one else's (especially me and my wife's) ability to get gifts for my kids. If I get my kids one gift my mom ...
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How do I help my child to love her mother more than her grandmother?
I've got a doozy here. When my first kid was born we were living at home with my parents. My wife and I were very overwhelmed being new parents and my mother (who was over the top excited to have her ...
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Why is that my oldest daughter doesn’t want to give us grandchildren? [closed]
I have three daughters with my wife. I want a grandchild from my oldest daughter. I have grandchildren from my youngest two. We want a grandchild, whether a boy or girl from her. She said no. What ...
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Child interest in how movie types have changed over time
My father recently retired. Being a cinephile, he has a large collection of old film reels and has now come up with a project he wants to involve my son in: sorting and cleaning out the reels. This ...
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Is it normal for kids to act up around grandparents
My mother-in-law has been staying with us for the past couple of days. My 2-year-old loves when she comes because she’s fun and she brings lots of candy and sugar.
Everything has been fine up until ...
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(How) do you explain a 3 year-old that he has to stay at his grand-ma for longer than anticipated?
My 3 year-old has been with his maternal grand-parents for a week, as was planned for a long while.
His mom and I were supposed to pick him up today, but we both tested positive for Covid this morning....
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How do I be a Grandad when I'm still being (and learning to be) a Dad?
I'm 42. Had my first son when I was 22 during a short relationship. Met and married my wife and had my second son at 38. He is now 4. My first son is 19 and will become a Dad in a few months. He lives ...
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Grandmother keeps calling my daughter "Good girl"
My mother keeps calling my 9 month old daughter "Good girl" when she does something that pleases her. I was initially fine with this, having had it in my own upbringing, but my wife pointed ...
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What to do about a 6 year old who knows when to go to the bathroom but still doesn't?
My 6 year old granddaughter is a smart child and knows when she needs to go the bathroom. She just does not care if she goes in her undies or pants. We have tried everything with her. Tried to give ...
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How to get an 8+ month old acquainted with a grandparent after a rough start?
Our 8 month old son started being aware and wary of strangers since he turned 7 months old. We've discovered that the way to get friendly with him is to approach him slowly. Interact with him from ...
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Small item for a grandparent to send via mail
My father-in-law enjoys sending small notes to my 5 year old son as a means of maintaining their connection. A few months ago he started sending one or two sheets of stickers as part of each envelope. ...
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How to encourage video chatting with family?
During this social distancing and lockdown situation, we have all been going through, we haven't been able to connect with loved ones which has been hard.
It's been especially rough for my parents ...
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My child said to my wifes face that he loves his grandmother (wifes mom) more than her, can you offer some advice how to deal with this?
My wife and I are feeling hurt, because my 5-year-old son said the other night that he loves his grandma (my wife's mom) more than my wife. He said this to her face. She has been in a very bad place ...
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How to prepare for a holiday with manipulative grandparents?
I’m trying to work out the best course of action here.
Backstory:
My father-in-law was, at one time, violent abusive and manipulative. My wife now keeps an arms-reach relationship with him on the ...
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How to make a 5-year-old follow instructions in kindergarten?
I have a 5-year-old granddaughter. She has only been in kindergarten for two weeks and has been in trouble three times for not following instructions. No walking in line without touching wall or ...
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Where to turn for help when my 12-year-old granddaughter keeps hitting her 10-year-old sister?
I have two granddaughters, one turns 12 in August, the other is 10 years old and is small for her age (she was a prem baby). Her parents are divorced since the older child was 5 and the dad has a new ...
user35966
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How to get preschoolers to interact with me over the TV?
I'm a godfather/honorary uncle to a number of preschoolers. They get excited about my visits and mostly prefer to play with me. However, during my longer (8 hours to few days long) visits they will ...
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How to help a 2 year old with a fear of airplanes?
My just-over-2 year old granddaughter is afraid of aircraft of all kinds passing overhead. No one knows why, and she isn't verbal enough to explain, though she is getting schooled in feeling words. ...
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How do I discipline a 14-year-old girl without pushing her away?
I have a 14-year-old sister who my grandmother and I are gaining custody of. I don't doubt my grandmother's ability to take care of and discipline my sister the way she should be, but she and I are ...
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How to motivate a 3.5-year-old to use the potty when she knows how to, but is strongly opposed to it?
My god daughter is about 3.5 years old. She has demonstrated she is aware of when she needs to pee/poop and if naked will ask for a pullup to be put on just so she can use it. I believe if she ...
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What to do about my 19-month-old grandson who doesn't talk or make eye contact?
My 19-month-old grandson is my son's and daughter-in-law's first and only child. He lives with me as do his parents. I see my grandbaby everyday. He had a severe regression after his 12 month ...
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At what age should a boy be able to clean up the toilet after himself?
I have a 6-year-old grandson who pees on the toilet, around the toilet and down the front of the toilet every single time he uses the bathroom. My daughter insists he is too young to clean the toilet. ...
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Grandparents want to raise my son but I want him back
My situation is a little tricky. Husband wanted a kid real bad and I wasn't ready, but I thought together we'd do amazing so I consented. Kid came into the world and husband hid in his videogames so I ...
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How to break defiant cycle with time out?
My goddaughter is barely 3 years old and I visit and babysit her often, and have her mother's full permission to use time outs when I feel they are appropriate. She is usually pretty well behaved, ...
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Father now, earlier nursery versus grandparents now, later nursery?
Our son is 14 months old. Both the mother and I have in the last month entered full time education (I was in full time employment, she was on maternity leave). We are lucky to have my wife's parents ...
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Daughter is deciding to have a child with near-total stranger
I have a daughter who has made many, many bad choices in her life. At 26, she has already been in several failed relationships, got addicted to heroin, recovered (6 years now), moved in with a guy ...
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How can I ask my parents to help us by watching the grandkids on occasion?
Background
I am a happily married mother of two, ages 3 and 4 respectively. My parents are in good health, mom is 62 and dad just turned 70. They have a good marriage and my mother lives in a house, ...
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4-year-old going on holiday without parents
My son is 4 and a half, and is going on holiday with his grandparents and 6-year-old niece. I'm a bit apprehensive about him being without us, his parents, for 8 days so I decided to fly over for just ...
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How to remove electronics and shift sleep schedule of 6-year old?
I started taking care of my grandchild when she was still 7 months old. During her first day to 6 months old she was with her father and my daughter. Sadly, their relationship didn't last. Right now, ...
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Too many presents from Grandma - is this bad for my child?
I think that having a lot of things for your baby or kid like lots of toys or other distractions (iPad, presents, bad food with sugar) is not a good thing. This could create a behavior of only doing ...
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My son calls my father in law Grandpa "nonno" (in italian) and his wife (step grandma) is telling my son to call him just Grandpa now not nonno
My son has always called his grandma (my mother-in-law) the Italian word for grandma, "nonna" and his grandpa "nonno", the Italian word for grandpa. Recently my son called his grandpa "nonno" in front ...
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What should our kids call grandpa's new wife? [duplicate]
Kids are 17 and 12. Mom/grandma passed away a few year ago, and grandpa immediately married his new wife. There is a long story there. Dad/grandpa wants us to treat her as if she were grandma, but ...
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Should I give my son a christmas card from my mother, with whom we deliberately have no contact?
Today, a christmas card came through the post addressed to my 7 year old son. I recognised the handwriting as my mothers. I am reluctant to give my son this card and am unsure on the best course of ...
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How do we convince parents that we can't all be there within one week of the holiday every year?
Here is the dilemma. My wife, my brother, my five-year-old son, and I live about five hours from my parents, about four hours from my father-in-law and his SO, and about an hour from my mother-in-law. ...
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How to handle 5-year-old granddaughter shouting "Get out" (of her room)?
If you walk into our 5-year-old granddaughter's room while she is playing with her dolls, she will tell you "I want time alone" and if you do not leave within several seconds she will look at you in a ...
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How to explain grandparent estrangement for 4 year old?
I've cut contact with my mother because it's a toxic relationship. My daughter barely remembers her, but is now starting to ask me questions about "mommy's mom." I think I may have made a mistake by ...
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Grandparents want our three year old daughter to throw tantrums like her cousin did
When my nephew was a toddler/pre-schooler, he had major separation anxiety issues and tantrums. Specifically, whenever his grandparents or we (his aunt and uncle) visited him, he'd never let us leave ...
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Grandparents mistreating my children
Seeing the other questions about grandparents, this seems to be quite the exception.
My wife went to visit my parents for two weeks and I couldn't go because I have to work. I thought it would be ...
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Has bending the rules with my mother in law caused this issue?
This is a little hard to explain, so if you need clarity I can try.
My mother in law visits a few times a year for a week each time. My kids are the only grandchildren she will ever have. She is ...
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I don't want to be an involved grandparent. How do I let my son know?
I know I'm in a small minority when I say I'm NOT excited to be a grandparent. I've never really liked children, and used to be determined against having any of my own. But mainly because my husband ...
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Vacationing with Grandparents
My wife and I sometimes get offers from her parents or mine to take our family on vacation (examples: a cruise, or summer family camp). We have two kids, 10 and 8.
The issue is that our parents tend ...
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Should I babysit my step granddaughter?
I have been married for over 20 years and have been a stepparent for all of these years since my stepdaughter was just 3 years old.
My husband's ex-wife despises my husband and myself and has always ...
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How to approach my adult son and his ex wife about my son's likely fatherhood of her baby when both deny it?
My 21-year-old son is newly divorced. He and his former wife hate each other a lot. Recently, his ex wife started posting pictures on social media of her baby boy just born in November.
Which would ...
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Culture differences [closed]
I am looking here for some opinions, if you think what I did was OK or not in your country/culture.
We have a baby (4 month old) that has trouble sleeping (very light sleeper). We are trying to put ...
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Can living with my father be a detriment to my ability to parent and be a father figure for my own children?
My parents are very from an Asian culture where family is very important and parents are always meant to be close and respected. That is why when I got married they insisted that my wife and I come ...
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Should a 6 year old's grandmother be kept away if she is abusive to her father?
My daughter loves her grandma and the feeling is mutual. But on occasion when my mom comes to visit, she loses her temper and she starts yelling at me. Sometimes my daughter overhears this despite my ...
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Why is my granddaughter screaming in the middle of the night like something is wrong but calms down in about 10-15 min? [duplicate]
My granddaughter wakes up around 1:30 every night screaming and tightening her body up like something is going on. This just started about a week ago. Could she be having a bad dream?
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How do I get a 2-year-old to calm down at night to go to bed by 8:30 or 9pm?
My 2-year-old granddaughter lives with me. For the last month she is so tired and is hard to get settled down. We tried lots of things to get her to calm down before bed. She used to go to bed at 8:30 ...
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Kids in multicultural, multi-generational household
My wife is Chinese and I am an American guy. We live in the US and have a 4.5 y/o and 18 m/o. My wife's parents, in very traditional Chinese fashion (I guess it's common among many Asian cultures), ...
user9821
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What to do about 6.5-year-old grandson out of control?
About 1 1/2 years ago my grandson started acting out. It has now become so bad and we need to get him under control.
First off I will say that my grandson lives with his mother as his mother and ...
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